Green Saturday: St. Patrick's Weekend
Plenty of ways to celebrate from morning to night
It's a bit of a perfect storm this time around. Year after year, St. Patrick's Day proves to be one of the busiest days all year for bars. People start early and stay out late, downing pints of Guinness and shots of Jameson Irish Whiskey – and that's just when it's on a weekday. This year, of course, the 17th just so happens to fall on a Saturday. Needless to say, there are plenty of options out there, from morning to night. There are a few musicians in particular who find this day exceptionally busy. Joe Nolan, bassist for the Mulligans, is one of those people, and he's looking forward to it. "We're stoked to play all our favorite pubs and breweries, plus see all our old friends and new ones!" he exclaimed. Concerning their four performances over the weekend, he noted that "I don't mind playing all day long if people are having a good time listening to us." Michael Dunlavey, singer and guitarist of the Celtic Hooligans echoed that statement, noting that "We enjoy playing together as a band and because the venues for Traditional Irish Music are limited in the region, we jump at the opportunity to play, especially during the St. Patrick's Day holiday."
There's certainly plenty of fun to be had this weekend. In fact, here's a timeline of some of the things you can find that day:
7 a.m. – Sherlock's, 508 State St.
With their doors opening early and Guinness toasts every hour, the music starts at 2 p.m. with Jackson Station, The GeekArmy, MoneyShot, and the i-90s each playing full sets into the night.
7 a.m. – Calamari's, 1317 State St.
Opening up with a breakfast buffet and traditional Irish food specials, the music starts at 5 p.m. with Jack Campbell and TK Blues at 9 p.m., with The Pipes and Drums of Erepa Grotto popping in as well.
8 a.m. – The Brewerie at Union Station, 123 W. 14th St.
The Mulligans lead off at 8 a.m. for a free breakfast courtesy of Rocket 101 as they tap "Mojo's Rocket Red." The Celtic Hooligans will be on at 3 p.m., with Bangerzz playing at 5 p.m., and a special performance by The Pipes and Drums of Erepa Grotto.
8 a.m. – Bourbon Barrel, 1213 State St.
Featuring a breakfast buffet, specials on all Irish whiskey and Guinness, along with giveaways and live music.
9 a.m. – Presque Isle State Park
For those with something healthier in mind, the Erie Runners Club will be hosting a 5K and a 10K run.
10 a.m. – Plymouth Tavern, 1109 State St.
With green popcorn in addition to green beer available, the bar will open early and have multiple giveaways, as well as food and drink specials.
11 a.m. – Lavery Brewing Company, 128 W. 12th St.
Opening early, the local brewery will host the Mulligans from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. They've also made up some specially designed shirts for the holiday, which will be available all day.
11 a.m. – Millcreek Brewing Company, 4102 W. Lake Rd.
Kicking off early with a performance from the Mulligan's at 8 p.m. on Friday, Saturday's performances lead off with Little Red Engine at 1:30 p.m., Blarney Rubble at 5 p.m., the Rince Na Tiarna Dancers, The Pipes and Drums of Erepa Grotto, and the Mountain Thyme Ramblers at 8, closing out the night.
11 a.m. – Room 33, 1033 State St.
The speakeasy will have an Irish-inspired tapas menu and drink specials, along with hosting the neo-Celtic rock band Bangerzz at 11:30 a.m. and the Celtic Hooligans from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
11:30 a.m. – Molly Brannigans, 506 State St.
In one of their three performances that day, the Celtic Hooligans will play at the Irish Pub & Restaurant, always a popular holiday destination.
11:30 a.m. – Erie Brewing Company, 6008 Knowledge Pkwy.
The brewery will be tapping a special keg of their new one-off exclusive coffee mint brew, the Dirty Girl Scout Stout.
2 p.m. – Jekyll & Hyde's, 8 E. 10th St.
The Mulligans will drop by, wrapping up at 5 p.m. The gastropub will feature a special Irish-themed menu, including Reuben mac and cheese.
3 p.m. – JR's Last Laugh, 1402 State St.
The bar and comedy club will feature a special afternoon of dueling pianos.
4 p.m. – Bigbar, 14 E. 10th St.
The local country septet – which features male and female vocalists – Small Town Revolution will take the stage until 8 p.m.
5 p.m. – Brew Brothers at Presque Isle Downs, 8199 Perry Hwy.
Mentor, Ohio's acoustic indie-folk songwriter Joshua Robert will serenade happy hour guests until 7 p.m., with the costumed Superband swooping onto the stage at 9 p.m. with a fun and lively mix of covers.
5:45 p.m. – St Boniface Coleman Center, 9367 Wattsburg Rd.
One $40 ticket provides guests with a buffet, beer, pop, and chances to win numerous raffles for the St. Patrick's Day Party.
6:30 p.m. – St. John's Lutheran Church, 2216 Peach St.
The Stardust Ballroom Dance Club will host a "Luck of the Irish Dance," spotlighting traditional Irish dancing.
7 p.m. – Bayfront Convention Center, Sassafras Pier
A special MMA event dubbed "The Shamrock Showdown," the 5th Bayfront Brawl will feature 14 cage fights, and three title fights, with eight local fighters on the bill.
7 p.m. – Erie Insurance Arena, 809 French St.
In their final scheduled home game of this season, the Erie Otters will face off against Ontario's Guelph Storm.
9 p.m. – Sandbar Drafthouse, 2835 W. Eighth St.
Local septet Cosmic Rhythm will jam out on the stage for an evening of covers and original rock and roll.
9 p.m. – 9th and State Beer Cafe, 832 State St.
The long-running, local Irish street punk band The Tradesmen will perform a high energy set along with the Gabba Ghoulies for a special free show filled with original punk rock.
10 p.m. – King's Rook Club, 1921 Peach St.
The much-loved Cleveland jam/funk three-piece Vibe & Direct will play in the downstairs concert complex, with the Baltimore psychedelic quartet, Electric Love Machine starting off the show.
As always, if you plan on indulging in any of these activities, do so responsibly. To make that a little easier, the Brewers of PA are offering a 30 percent discount for Lyft taxi services, using the code "LUCKYPA." Times subject to change.
