Are you ready to see West Michigan’s CHARMING side? Put on your best leprechaun costume, grab a green beer (or soda), and join the festivities! There’s something for everyone, from citywide parades to downtown pub crawls. If you’re looking for the best way to spend your St. Patrick’s Day this year, look no further than some local fun inspired by Ireland!
Food and Drink
Saugatuck Brewing Company will be serving a traditional Irish Breakfast Buffet onSaturday, March 12 from 8:30am to 10:30am. Admission includes live music and your first pint or mimosa. Looking for something different? Coral Gables will be sponsoring the 10th Annual Saugatuck/Douglas Pub Crawl. The crawl will begin immediately after the parade. These are both ticketed events and must be purchased in advance.
Parades
Downtown Holland will host their St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 12. The parade will travel east down 8th Street from the 8th Street Marketplace (150 W. 8th St.) to the corner of 8th Street and College Avenue where the celebration continue at New Holland Brewing Company and the Curragh Irish Pub.
Called “The Biggest Little Parade” in West Michigan, the WBCH St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 17th in Hastings is the perfect opportunity to dress up in your green and make some noise. This small town celebration starts on South Jefferson Street at 4pm. Want to participate in the parade itself? Contact WBCH for more information!
The Saugatuck/Douglas Convention & Visitors Bureau has a some unique fun for you to participate in this coming St. Patrick’s Day. Their “Erin Go Bark! People and their Pets” parade will be on Saturday, March 12th at 2pm in downtown Saugatuck. All creatures great and small are invited to participate and express their Irish side.
Break out the green on Saturday, March 12th for the 5th Annual Muskegon St. Patrick’s Day Parade! The Muskegon St. Patrick’s Day Parade steps off at 11:00 a.m. from 4th Street and Clay Avenue and proceeds east on Clay to Jefferson. Parade staging area will be in the City of Muskegon parking lot between 4th and 5th Streets on Western Avenue, and the general public is encouraged to line Clay Avenue along the parade route to enjoy the festivities. Families, organizations, fraternal groups, businesses, marching bands, churches and schools are invited to join in the fun and march in this exciting event! Sponsor your group and walk the parade route or design a float and ride through downtown Muskegon along “O’Clay Avenue”! The only cost to march or sponsor a float is a non-perishable food donation to benefit The Food Pantry of Catholic Charities of West Michigan. The Jaycees will be accepting food donations from parade spectators along the route.
Events
The music of Ireland will fill Dennos Museum Center with a live performance by Dervish on Saturday, March 5th. Dervish plays music from the West of Ireland with passionate vocals and dazzling instrumentals. With the purchase of a ticket to this performance, concert goers are invited to visit the museum’s galleries one hour before the concert and attend a post-concert reception with the performers. For more information and to get tickets, visit www.dennosmuseum.org.
Shanty Creek Resorts will be hosting their Blarney Stone Rail Jam on Saturday, March 19th. Prizes will be awarded to all skiers and snowboarders who participate. Need lessons before you hit the slopes? Shanty Creek’s spring special includes great savings from March 6th to 31st. Enjoy $25 lift tickets, $25 rentals, and lodging as low as $55 a night. Visit their website for details.
On St. Patrick’s Day only, get 12.5% off at Great Turtle Kayak Tours with eight people or more. This is the perfect spring adventure for you and your family! Visit their website for details and how to reserve your tour.
Boyne Mountain will be showing their Irish side this St. Patrick’s Day with their adults only carnival weekend party. This party is on-hill from March 18th to 20th and includes a costume contest, pool party, live entertainment, Slush Cup, and more. For more information and a complete schedule of events, visit http://www.boyne.com/boynemountain/events/carnival-weekend.
FireKeepers Casino Hotel is ready for some fun this St. Patrick’s Day! Visit on March 17th and receive a free FireKeepers St. Patrick’s Day tee shirt by simply visiting the Event Center between 12pm and 7pm. Guests wearing this shirt will receive select $2 beers at Kabaret or Dacys. Plan your visit to FireKeepers Casino Hotel for this St. Patrick’s Day by visiting their website.
Crystal Mountain is getting in the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day with a party and costume discount on March 17th. Skiers and snowboarders in full costume receive $10 off their open-to-close lift ticket. Enjoy the slopes with this discount at Crystal Mountain.
Beaver Island hosts a day games to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on March 19th. Have you tried your hand at the fish toss? Or taken part in a cart race? Here’s your chance, so head over to Beaver Island for your game-filled St. Patrick’s Day! For more information, visit www.BeaverIsland.org.
Put your green on and come out for a night of music and fun at Coopersville Farm Museum and Event Center’sIrish Jam Night on March 15th from 6pm to 9pm. Enjoy this acoustic jam session and open mic with the whole family. Everybody is welcome to perform, so don’t miss all the music and fun in Coopersville.
The Grand Rapids Symphony will host two great St. Patrick’s Day concerts. Their Celtic Concert will be on March 11th & 12th at 8pm and March 13th at 3pm. Enjoy the music of international sensation Lord of the Dance, Irish Step Dancers, Celtic vocalists, bagpipe serenades and acclaimed tenor Anthony Kearns of the Irish Tenors. The Celtic Kids performance will be on March 12th at 3pm, and is a great concert for the whole family. Enjoy one of these Grand Rapids Symphony performances to kick off your St. Patrick’s Day celebration!
A Bit o’ Everything
Downtown Muskegon is the place to be this St. Patrick’s Day. The Michigan Irish Music Festival will be hosting their annual St. Patrick’s Party Celebration on March 11th & 12th in downtown Muskegon. Enjoy live music and a variety of Irish inspired drinks. Doors open at 5:30pm both nights and music starts at 6pm. If running is more your speed, check out the Run Muskegon Shamrock Shuffle 5K on March 12th. Don’t forget to dress up! The top three costumes get a prize. Want to just sit down and hang out? The St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 12th is perfect for you. Come see the Irish floats, bands, organizations, and more. There’s so much to do in Muskegon this St. Patrick’s Day!
The Ludington area has two great ways for you to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. OnMarch 12th, join the Irish Jig 5k at 9:30am at Ludington Crossfit. Is a 5K not your style? Then join the celebration in downtown Ludington on March 17th. For more details on either of these events, visit downtownludington.org.
Traverse City is full of things to do for St. Patrick’s Day. Their Leapin’ Leprechaun 5K starts on March 12th at 9am and will take you throughout downtown Traverse City. Celebrate your finish in the post-race party tent. Also on March 12th is the Traverse City St. Patrick’s Day Parade starting at 1:30pm at the State Street Grill. On March 17th, check out the Traverse City Pub Walk. The walk starts at noon and features stops at nine downtown taverns. There is a variety of St. Patrick’s Day entertainment waiting for you in Traverse City.
