It’s that time of year again when the world turns green in honor of St. Patrick’s Day! This beloved Irish cultural celebration is marked by parades, parties, traditional foods and drinks, and of course, lots of shamrocks and leprechaun lore.
For those of Irish descent, St. Paddy’s Day is a chance to revel in the rich heritage and proud history of the Emerald Isle. But for everyone else, it’s simply an opportunity to join in on the festive fun and embrace a bit of Irish cheer.
Whether you’re in Dublin, New York, Chicago or anywhere in between, the celebrations are in full swing. The raucous parades fill the streets with marching bands, colorful floats and plenty of green-clad revelers. After the processions, many will gather at local pubs to indulge in traditional Irish fare like corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie, soda bread and hearty stouts.
At the heart of these festivities is a commemoration of St. Patrick, the foremost patron saint of Ireland who is credited with bringing Christianity to the island in the 5th century AD. From the iconic shamrock used to symbolize the Holy Trinity to his tales of banishing snakes from Ireland, the legends surrounding St. Patrick are plentiful.
The luck of the Irish will be overflowing in the Northern Bay Area this St. Patrick’s Day! From San Francisco to Santa Rosa, the region is gearing up for a weekend full of green beer, traditional Irish music and plenty of festive fun.
One of the biggest celebrations will be the iconic St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival in downtown San Francisco. On Saturday, March 18th, the parade will kick off at 11:30am at Market and 2nd Street, winding its way along Market to Civic Center Plaza for the riotous festival. Thousands will line the streets to watch the colorful floats, dancing groups, marching bands and lively celebrations of Irish culture and community.
Across the Golden Gate Bridge, the quaint town of Fairfax will be hosting their annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Irish Monkeys! celebration on March 18th from 10am to 5pm. The fun kicks off with a pancake breakfast, followed by the zany parade of children, pets and residents in wacky monkey masks parading through downtown. There will also be Irish dancers, food trucks and music throughout the day.
Several popular pubs around the Bay will be going all out Irish-style over the weekend too. At the Brick & Vine in downtown Napa, they’ll be pouring green beer and Guinness alongside traditional lamb stew while Irish folk music plays. In San Rafael, the Fenix was voted one of the best places to celebrate with its St. Practice Day concert featuring Celtic rock on March 17th.
Meanwhile, the Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa is preparing for one of their biggest parties of the year. Their St. Patrick’s Day bash on the 17th features an Irish menu with corned beef and cabbage, Irish dancers, bagpipers and they’ll be debuting their seasonally rare “Ye Olde Brotherhood” Russian imperial stout.
No matter where you end up, the Northern Bay Area will be painted green and overflowing with Irish spirit, merriment and maybe even a leprechaun sighting if you’re lucky! Sláinte!
So whether you’re toasting with a pint of Guinness, cuddling up to watch classics like The Quiet Man, or simply embracing the wearin’ of the green, let the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day warm your spirit. After all, on this day, we’re all at least a little bit Irish!
Sláinte! (An Irish Gaelic toast meaning “good health!”)
