St. Patrick's Day: The Hanukkah of Drinking Holidays
Though it's only a one-day celebration, area bars have managed to stretch St. Patrick's Day into about a week and a half of green beer and bangers and mash specials. We'll have another installment of Irish drink specials next week, but a listicle of all the scholarly pursuits you can undertake during this most holy of weekends awaits, after the jump!
Right now!: The name is vomit-inducing, but DC101's annual Keg and Eggs event at 9: 30 Club has free Guinness and live shows by Filter, Hoobastank, and Carbon Leaf. Did we mention the free Guinness? 7:30AM to noon. HURRY. [9: 30 Club ]
Saturday, March 14: It would be remiss to exclude the Shamrock Festival at RFK Stadium, the self-proclaimed "Hottest St. Paddy's Festival in America!" For$24.99 (and rising), there are more than 50 bands, 11 "party zones," Irish pub games, and pretty much everything else you'd require to keep 20,000 people entertained for eight hours. All ages, 1PM to 9PM. [ Shamrock Fest 2009 ]
Saturday, March 14: The curiously exclusiveCapital Club of Washington opens its arms to anyone with $10 (or $20, dudes) and a desire to visit K Street Lounge. The suggested attire is "urban leprechaun," which solves the eternal mystery of what to wear. Yep. 9PM to 12AM. [ K Street Lounge ]
Saturday, March 14: If you have a car, and two or three friends, and a sober driver (tall order, we know), you can join the Flying Dog Brewery's Search for the Pot O'Golden Ale in Frederick, Maryland. The treasure hunt ends with a private afterparty at the brewery. It costs $20 per person, and $25 the day of -- but the designated driver gets in free. Starts at 6PM at the Flying Dog Brewery. [Search for the Pot O'Golden Ale, via Facebook ]
Saturday, March 14: The screening of Irish filmEden at the O'Goethe-Institut is one of the few events this weekend not exclusively centered on drinking. But there is an open bar, in case you were worried. $20 includes film and drinks. 9PM. [ Washington Film Institute ]
Sunday, March 15: Shake off the delirium tremens and bring your whole family to D.C. St. Patrick's Day Parade! This wholesome event, marshalled by anchor babe Norah O'Donnell, starts at noon on Constitution Avenue. [D.C. St. Patrick's Day Parade ]