A Toast To The Irish Spokane, Coeur D’Alene And Sandpoint Will Be In Full Swing This Weekend For Revelers Of Any Descent

St. Patrick’s Day roundup

A green tide will wash over Spokane - and really, everywhere - this weekend. Everything - from clothing to beer - will turn a bright hue of green.

That’s right, leprechauns, Sunday is St. Patrick’s Day.

The festive holiday falls on the weekend, so count on people commencing the celebration a couple of days early.

The granddaddy of all St. Paddy’s Day events in Spokane is the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which winds its way through the downtown streets on Saturday.

The parade, now in its 18th year, starts at noon. A whole cast of characters - including Donald Duck and Goofy, Gov. Mike Lowry and Rep. George Nethercutt, R-Wash. - will make special appearances at the parade.

The real fun kicks off immediately after the parade. And since many of the best St. Patrick’s Day parties are downtown, they’re within mere stumbling distance of the parade.

Just a quick note: What’s really special about this holiday is that men can don skirts and not feel weird about it.

The party of all St. Paddy’s Day parties will be in full swing at O’Doherty’s Irish Grille all weekend long. Because the restaurant sits right on the parade route, finding seating might be tough. But the wait is worth it.

In addition to the usual fare of the Irish foods and beverages - corned beef sandwiches, Irish stew, Guiness, Harp and more - the restaurant will also show off its Irish spirit through live music and lots of it.

Saturday, Chuck Borris and his keg full of traditional Irish sing-alongs will entertain at noon and at 4 p.m. Later in the 4 o’clock hour, the Angus Scott Pipe Band will provide the exotic Celtic sounds. At 5:30 p.m., the Celtic Nots, a four-piece Celtic folk band, will get the bar patrons raising their glasses during their traditional Celtic revue.

O’Doherty’s opens at 10 a.m. on Saturday and at noon on Sunday. There’s a $1 cover charge which goes to charity.

Another big St. Patrick’s Day party happens at C.I. Shenanigans.

For the occasion, the restaurant and bar has erected a 40-by-80-foot heated tent outdoors in the parking lot. Inside, there’s a dance floor, plus a DJ who will spin tunes tonight through Sunday.

The Angus Scott Pipe Band will crash the party several times on Saturday and Sunday.

Almost as quickly as the parade ends on Saturday, the line to get into Finnerty’s Red Lion will extend all the way down the block. So run, don’t walk, to the downtown bar.

The kitchen will have ample corned beef and cabbage prepared, enough, perhaps, to last until the next St. Patrick’s Day. The Red Lion opens at 9 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.

The green beer at Cyrus O’Leary’s will be flowing as early as tonight. And it’s only $1. Saturday at 10 p.m., Cy’s will expand the bar into the restaurant area to accommodate the mass numbers of partying Irish. At that time, it’s 21 and over.

The Irish Bagpipers will drop in to monitor the celebration intermittently through the weekend. On the menu, as if you have to ask, will be corned beef and cabbage and new red potatoes.

Celtic music and New Orleansstyle jazz will waft from the downtown Onion on Saturday. Irish bagpipers will play to the patrons at 2:15 p.m. and again at 7:30. A New Orleans jazz band will entertain in between. Sunday, the bagpipers return at 3:30 and 6:30 p.m.

The Onion, which opens at 11:15 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, has a slew of Irish brew on tap, including a flavorsome special Irish blend of Hale’s Ale. The restaurant also whips up some tasty Irish coffee and corned beef sandwiches.

Of course, the Viking will have lots of the St. Patrick’s Day fun brewing. On Saturday, the pub will be visited by the Scottish Dancers and Pipers at 2:30 p.m. and again at 7:30. The Viking will even dish up some authentic Irish Limerick stew and corned beef to accompany your brew.

Ugly Rumors, the club beneath the Mars Hotel, will party down all weekend long.

Following the parade on Saturday, Mama’s Dogma will take the stage from 3 to 6 p.m. The cover is $1. After that, the live music will give way to the Tyson-Bruno fight. At 10 p.m., the music resumes with Mumbo Jumbo. The cover is $3.

You might want to stick around tonight and Saturday night for breakfast at the Mars Hotel, which is served at 1 a.m. To honor St. Patrick’s Day, the Mars will cook up green eggs and ham. Oh, would Dr. Seuss be proud.

The Monas and the Law Givers will rock the El Toreador at about 3 p.m. on Saturday. The Law Givers, new to the scene, features members of the Monas, the Flies and the Crudlers.

The Park Inn has always been a favorite St. Patrick’s Day spot. This South Hill restaurant and bar will have corned beef and Irish stew spilling out the doors both Saturday and Sunday. At 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, you can raise your glass of stout to the merry tunes of Irish bagpipers.

The Spokane Folklore Society will hold a St. Paddy’s Day Contra Dance at the Corbin Community Center, 827 W. Cleveland, Saturday from 8 to 11 p.m. A potluck dinner will precede the dance at 6:30 p.m. At 7:30, there’ll be a brief dance class. Admission is $7, $4 for Folklore Society members. The dance is alcohol- and tobacco-free.

Dee and the Deelites, a jazz band whose sound encompasses various styles like ragtime, Dixieland and New Orleans, will play at Derringer’s Grog and Grill following the parade. The band will be on stage until 7 p.m.

Following that, the quartet will take the party to Studio K. Dee and the Deelites hit the stage at 9 p.m.

Coeur d’Alene

Capone’s kicked off its St. Patty’s Day weekend Thursday. Don’t fret; there are still three more days to party. Tonight’s festivities will be sponsored by MacTarnahan’s Ale - yes, it’s Scottish; so what?

Saturday the Acoustic String Band will be stopping by to entertain. Word has it, some good ol’ Celtic songs are on the set list. The cover is $2.

Rare Mountain, which will change its name to O’ Rare Mountain Air just for the occasion, will do the honors Sunday at 6 p.m. The cover is $3.

Just in time for the holiday, T.W. Fisher’s has its special Spring Bock on tap. The brewpub starts its celebration tonight. Indeed the brew will make a fine companion for the corned beef and cabbage. Other special features this weekend include Irish stew, brewery tours and beer specials.

Sandpoint

Just like everyone else, Bugatti’s Pub will extend the holiday to three days beginning tonight.

Tonight and Saturday, Newport singer/songwriter Casey Wilsey will entertain.

The big party, however, is Sunday. The pub opens at noon. Live folk from the Irish Killer Bees starts at 2 p.m. There’ll be plenty of Irish stew to stuff your face with.

But the real highlight of the party is that an actual leprechaun - believe it or not - will be stopping by.

Eichardt’s will be having a busy weekend. Tonight and Saturday Luckelbin will perform. Sunday it’s Edwards Park. Of course, top Irish beers - Guiness, Beamish and Harp - will be on tap.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo