D.C. pubs & restaurants roll out the green carpet (and beer)
St. Patrick’s Day is Sunday and that means corned beef and cabbage and green beer in D.C.’s Irish restaurants and pubs. You don’t have to be Irish to enjoy the festivities, and you will find a variety of D.C. area restaurants getting into the spirit with food and drink specials.
St. Paddy’s Day events
Here’s a list of some notable gastronomic events:
Duffy’s Irish Pub, 2106 Vermont Ave. NW, will be celebrating all week long. Green beer will be flowing all week with specials each day. On Tuesday, March 12, and Thursday, March 14, there will be live Irish music from 7-11 p.m. There will be a St. Patrick’s Day themed pub quiz beginning at 8 p.m. On St. Patrick’s Day there will be free T-shirts while they last, live Irish music, Irish dancers, bag pipers and green brew.
All weekend, the Irish Whiskey Public House, 1207 19th St. NW, will be celebrating Moring Mayhem with $3 bye bye beers (different types of bottled beer on their way out the door) and a patio party all day and night. “Drink Until You’re Irish” will feature Guinness, Harp, Smithwicks, Reilly’s Red, Magners, Jameson, Clontarf and Carbombs on all 3 floors. There will also be bagpipers, giveaways, appearances by the Baileys, Bushmills and Kilbeggan girls along with a few surprises.
Rumors, 19th and M Streets NW, Washington, will have Shamrocks & Shenanigans on March 16 and 17. From 3 p.m.-2 a.m. on Saturday, the restaurant will offer discounted brews, a bagpiper, DJs and Irish dancers. There will also be live Irish bands including The ShamRogues and Turtle Recall. On Sunday, the party begins at 11 a.m. with live music from Mike Leverone. There will also be contests throughout the weekend, including best Irish garb and an Irish jig contest.
On St. Patrick’s Day, McGinty’s Public House at 911 Ellswoth Dr., Silver Spring, will have Irish music and dancing, fiddle players and the Montgomery County Firefighters Pipe and Drum Band from 11 a.m.-closing. There will also be green beer and a your Irish favorites.
The National ShamrockFest will be from 1-9 p.m. on March 16 at RFK Stadium.
D.C.’s Saint Patrick’s Day street festival will include live music, food, drinks, roving entertainers, craft vendors, an Irish Village, carnival rides and games and much more. It features more than 40 bands and DJs on nine states. Cost is $29.99 in advance, plus a $7.14 service fee. Children 12 and under are free.
St. Patrick’s Day parades
Gaithersburg’s St. Patrick’s Day parade in conjunction with the Harp and Shamrock Society, will be from from10 a.m.-noon. The route runs from the Washingtonian Center to Kohl’s. The parade includes state and local officials, Gaithersburg Police, Irish dancers, pipe bands, fire trucks, equestrian units and much more. Following the parade, there will be a festival in the plaza until 1 p.m.
Shaw Community St. Patrick’s Day Festival is slated for March 17 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on 6th Street NW between Florida Avenue and S Street. Hosted by Shaw’s Tavern, the fest will feature live music, children’s activities, food and beverages, along with community vendors and information booths.
Washington, D.C.’s St. Patrick’s Day parade will take place from noon-3 p.m. on March 17 along Constitution Avenue between 7th and 17th Streets NW. Known as the Nation’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, it will include floats, marching bands, pipe bands, military, police, and fire departments. Local Irish pubs will sponsor parade parties featuring Irish musicians, dancers and singers.
Don’t drink and drive
The St. Patty’s Day SoberRide program will be in operation beginning at 4 p.m. on March 17 until 4 a.m. SoberRide is a free taxi ride program provided by the Washington Regional Alcohol Program to provide a safe way home for impaired drivers in Washington D.C., and Mongomery, Prince George’s, Arlington, Fairfax, Prince William and Eastern Loudon counties. For more information, check out www.soberride.com. And call 800-200-TAXI if you need a safe ride home.
Article by DC on Heels Entertainment Editor Mark Heckathorn
Editor-in-Chief Mark Heckathorn is a journalist, movie buff and foodie. He oversees DC on Heels editorial operations as well as strategic planning and staff development. Reach him with story ideas or suggestions at dcoheditor (at) gmail (dot) com.