Going Green: St. Patrick’s Day Festivities

By Kathryn M. D’Imperio

The luck of the Irish runs especially strong on St. Patrick’s Day – March 17 – even if you don’t have a drop of Irish or Celtic blood in you. This festive holiday reminds us all to celebrate with family and friends, enjoying a little social life and some great food and drinks however we please. From live music to parades, corned beef and everything in between, here are some of the best ways to spend the St. Patty’s Day holiday in the Lehigh Valley.

Enjoy Irish/Celtic fare, libations and live music at an Irish pub. If you aren’t familiar with your choices, you can search on the Internet by location. Just a few of the Irish pub possibilities include: Jack Callaghan’s Ale House and Mahoney’s Irish Pub in Allentown, Granny McCarthy’s Tea Room & Celtic Restaurant and Molly’s Irish Grille and Sports Pub in Bethlehem, and Porter’s Pub in Easton.

Score tickets at a concert leading up to St. Patrick’s Day. You can catch The Irish Rovers at Musikfest Café presented by Yuengling, ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks, on March 12. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30. Enjoy this upbeat band whose members all call Ireland home. For more information, check out the Events section on www.artsquest.org. Check your other favorite Lehigh Valley venues for more live concerts.

Enjoy a few laughs at the Irish Comedy Tour, featuring a troop of five Irish American comedians. This fun evening of humor takes place at the Musikfest Café on March 15. Each performer boasts his own portfolio of success, from appearances on Sirius or XM to Comedy Central showings and more. For information, check out www.theirishcomedytour.com.

Take part in the 56th Annual Allentown St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Few things are as exciting or as enjoyable as a St. Patty’s Day parade. The parade kicks off at 1:30 p.m. on March 17 and offers lots of fun, music and festivities the whole family can enjoy. The parade starts at the Allentown Fairgrounds and finishes up in Allentown’s West End.

Strut your stuff in your best Irish or green themed costume in the West End St. Patrick’s Day 5k. This annual race celebrates its fifth year, benefitting the West End Alliance, a nonprofit group supporting Allentown’s West End Theatre District. Registration begins at 11 a.m. March 17 and the race itself kicks off at 12:15 sharp. Stick around for awards after the race concludes and don’t miss the parade, which follows. For more information on how you can participate in the St. Pat’s 5k, visit www.westendstpats5k.com.

Celebrate your faith by attending St. Patrick’s Day Mass at Immaculate Conception Church. Come to remember the real meaning behind St. Patrick’s Day. Bishop John Barres joins in celebration, with services beginning at 9:15 a.m. on Sunday, March 17.

These festive St. Patrick’s Day activities in the Lehigh Valley provide memorable ideas for all to enjoy, sometimes as a yearly tradition. You can participate in several entertaining activities across a few days, or even pack St. Patrick’s Day with lots of food, drink and fun. Relax, take in the sights, and don’t forget to toast to happiness, love, success and good health!

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