St. Patrick’s Day
From Ned Devine’s in Herndon to the Old Brogue in Great Falls to Galway Bay in downtown Annapolis, the Irish pubs are going to be packed with revelers making the most of St. Patrick’s Day, kicking off an unofficial three-day weekend. Friendly advice: No matter where you’re going, try to arrive as early as possible. Lines usually start building in the afternoon, and no one wants to wait outside while friends are enjoying themselves indoors.
No D.C. pub does it bigger than the Dubliner, where the drinks begin flowing and the bands begin playing at 9 a.m. Pints of Guinness are 49 cents for the first hour, in honor of the Dubliner’s 49 years on Capitol Hill. Expect bands to rotate through the day, plus party music from DJ Harry Hotter. ( 4 F St. NW. $10 cover. dublinerdc.com.)
If you’re over standing-room-only bars, Irish cultural organization Solas Nua provides a more thoughtful, intellectual celebration at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. Irish Book Day brings a trio of Irish and Ireland-based writers, including award-winning author Sinead Gleeson, for an afternoon of readings and discussion, capped with “The Haunted Haunting Women,” a “text, sound and visual performance” by Gleeson and composer Stephen Shannon. Admission is free, but reservations are required. ( 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. 901 G St. NW. solasnua.org.)
Soberride, the Washington Regional Alcohol Program’s long-running anti-drunken-driving program, offers free and discounted Lyft rides home between 4 p.m. Friday and 4 a.m. Saturday. Look for a code posted on soberride.com at 3 p.m. Friday, and enter it into the app for a $15 ride credit. If the ride is cheaper than that, it’s free; if it’s more, the passenger pays the difference. A limited number of credits are available, so keep an eye on the website.
Those who don’t overindulge on Friday night can head to the Wharf on Saturday for even more celebrations. The District Pier turns into a pop-up beer garden with pours of whiskey and Guinness, hosted by the nearby Kirwan’s Irish Pub. Entertainment inspired by the Emerald Isle includes Irish dancers and bagpipers; live music from the 19th Street Band, Poehemia and Ben David Band; and a craft corner for kids, along with lawn games such as oversized Jenga. Rugby fans will want to stake out a space in front of the big screen at Kirwan’s to watch the Ireland vs. England matchup in the Six Nations tournament. ( Noon to 6 p.m. 101 District Sq. SW. wharfdc.com.)