Pub crawl features Heritage Distilling’s whiskey

This year’s St. Patrick’s Day pub crawl features a new Shirts and Shots deal.

For $25, participants will receive a T-shirt and shot of Heritage Distilling Co.’s Fall Classic Apple Cider Whiskey.

The distillery is based in Gig Harbor, Wash., but is partnering with Spokane County Firefighters Pipes and Drums to raise money for the corps to travel to and perform at funerals for fallen firefighters. The distillery’s owner and operator, Justin Stiefel, grew up in Spokane.

“Even though I live on the West Side of the state right now I still consider myself a Spokane boy,” he said.

The downtown parade – sponsored by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick – starts at noon Saturday. By 1 p.m., the pub crawl begins at Lucky’s Irish Pub, 408 W. Sprague Ave. From there, Pipes and Drums heads to the Satellite Diner, Blind Buck and O’Doherty’s Irish Grille in downtown before moving on to the Spokane Valley to visit the other O’Doherty’s location, Iron Horse Bar and Grill, and Scotty’s Sullivan Scoreboard. After that, by about 6:30 p.m., Pipes and Drums hits Birdy’s Sports Bar on the North Side.

Stiefel and his wife, Jennifer, plan to participate in the parade and be at each bar during the pub crawl.

For more information, email spokopipes@yahoo.com.

Fundraiser features corned beef and cabbage

Have your St. Patrick’s Day corned beef and cabbage at Greater Spokane County Meals On Wheels’ Silver Café – and help raise money to feed homebound seniors.

The benefit takes place from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Monday and costs $10. The café is located at 4803 N. Nevada St.

The fundraiser is part of the March for Meals campaign, which takes place through the end of the month.

The organization provides hot meals to the frail, elderly and homebound in Spokane County, delivering more than 400 meals per day and operating 13 meal sites as well as the café.

For more information, visit www.marchformeals.com or mowaa.org.

New Natural Grocers’ grand opening in CdA

A grand-opening celebration is going on through Saturday at the new Natural Grocers in Coeur d’Alene.

Part of a national natural food chain, the store sells only USDA-certified organic produce as well as products from some 200 Inland Northwest companies. It opened March 4 at 222 W. Neider Ave.

Festivities include food tastings and other samples and giveaways.

Founded in Colorado in 1955, Natural Grocers has locations in Colorado, Texas, Utah, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Missouri, New Mexico, Montana, Kansas, Idaho, Nebraska, Arizona and Oregon.

The Coeur d’Alene store is open Monday through Saturday from 8:56 a.m. to 8:04 p.m. Sunday hours are 9:56 a.m. to 7:06 p.m. (Those aren’t typos. As its website reads, “Customers are welcome to come a little early and to stay a little late.”)

Be sure to bring your own bags; the store doesn’t offer paper or plastic, but will pack your groceries in recycled boxes if you forget. It also sells reusable bags.

On the Web: www.naturalgrocers.com.

Taste Spokane benefits Wishing Star Foundation

Taste Spokane offers sips and bites from local wineries, breweries, bakeries and restaurants – for a cause.

The eighth annual event raises money for Wishing Star Foundation, a nonprofit that grants wishes to young people with life-threatening illnesses in Eastern Washington, Central Washington and Idaho.

Last year, the organization granted two dozen wishes with an average cost of $5,000 and raised $27,000 at Taste Spokane.

This year’s event takes place from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday at Northern Quest Resort and Casino.

Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. Each comes with five tastes and a souvenir wine glass. Additional tastes are available for $2.50 each or 10 for $20.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.tastespokane.com or call Brittany Bergsson at (509) 744-3411.