May the luck of the Irish be upon you!
As we approach St. Patrick’s Day on Sunday, March 17, you might be wondering that the party is all about. Well, it’s a celebration of … you guessed it … St. Patrick, the patron saint and apostle of Ireland who brought Christianity to the Emerald Isle. He died March 17, 465, and legend says he would use a shamrock to visualize the Holy Trinity.
Although this began as an Irish tradition, it is now recognized across America.
One of the most well-known traditions is the dying of the Chicago River a very prominent green. If you have ever been in Chicago on March 17, you know it is one of the largest crowds that appear throughout the year.
But Chicago is not the only place to celebrate, Fort Wayne has tons of options to get your green on!
Get green fest
Speaking of dying rivers green, Fort Wayne has tagged along by using the St. Marys River.
On Saturday, March 16, head on over to the Carole Lombard Memorial Bridge just west of downtown to watch Fort Wayne firefighters spray gallons of eco-friendly vegetable dye into the river.
Want to be even more involved, there’s no shortage of activities at this festival hosted by Fort Wayne Professional Firefighters.
The day begins at 8:30 a.m. inside the heated tent, where there will be food, drinks, and children’s activities through 8 p.m., with DJ Jason Spuller supplying music from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., with Debutants performing from 1-5 p.m.
Outside of the tent, the 5-Kilt Run/Walk commences at 9:30 a.m., followed by the River Greening at 11 a.m., the Gold Coin Drop at noon, and a Lucky Charms Eating Contest at 1 p.m.
Clover Classic
Deer Park Irish Pub will celebrate their 26th annual Clover Classic beginning Friday, March 15, all the way through the big day.
Each day offers a wide variety of food trucks and live music, as well as fan favorites like the keg toss at 4 p.m. on Saturday, The People’s Parade at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, followed by road bowling at 2:30 p.m.
Among the live musical acts are The Ragtag Bunch at 6 p.m. on Friday. Distractions take the stage at 1 p.m. on Saturday, followed by U2 tribute act Beautiful Day at 6 p.m., and DJ Dap-1 closing the night out from 9:30 p.m.-midnight. On Sunday, Distractions return at 2 p.m. and The Mighty McGuiggans perform at 6 p.m., followed by a DJ from 8-11 p.m.
Festivities kick off at noon on Friday and 11 a.m. the following two days. Entry is free on Friday and $7 the next two days, or you can purchase a $10 two-day pass.
Hitting The Pitch
Not to be outdone, JK O’Donnell’s Irish Ale House downtown will have two days of live music and, of course, their authentic Irish fare.
While you enjoy your Shepherd’s Pie inside, The Pitch near the alleyway will be filled with music, beginning The Ragtag Bunch at 4 p.m. on Saturday. After the popular Celtic group finishes, Soltre take the stage at 6 p.m., followed by Shiny Shiny Black at 8 p.m., and James & The Drifters at 10 p.m.
Newgrass favorites Debutants take the stage at 5 p.m. on Sunday.
This 21-and-over event will have a $5 cover each day.
St. Paddy’s Street Party
The party extends outside of the Summit City as Warsaw celebrates with a downtown street party from 3-10 p.m. on Saturday, March 16.
Hosted by One Ten Craft Meatery, the festival will feature a Shamrock Shimmy 5K fun run, food and drink vendors, and live music from Shiny Shiny Black and Bee! the Band.
Entry is $5.
More activities
There are multiple bar crawl options you can find through Eventbrite such as Paddy Hard Bar Crawl, Fort Wayne Office Bar Crawl, The Shamrock Stroll, Pub Crawl, Pub Pioneers, and Fort Wayne’s Luck of the Irish. All of these options offer different maps for bars in Fort Wayne (obviously some are repeated), special drinks, free entry for specific bars, and on-site staff. A couple even have costume contests.
Maybe you want something a little more chill but still St. Paddy’s Day themed. Head to Famous Monster Pizza in Decatur for a 10:30 p.m. showing of the horror movie Leprechaun on Saturday, March 16. Your $16.25 ticket includes a pizza buffet and popcorn. There will also be a Leprechaun trivia quiz for the chance to win a $25 gift card.
At Sylvan Cellars in Rome City, the green beer will be flowing during their Party at the Barn at 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 16. Along with food, beer, and cocktails, there will be raffles and giveaways as well as prizes for the best-dressed Leprechaun or themed outfit.
If you’re in Kendallville on Saturday, March 16, you can swing by Mid-America Windmill Museum for their Stew & Brew: Shamrock Jig. The night begins at 6 p.m. and your $60 includes a corned beef dinner, complementary drinks, and music from The Bulldogs.
