This year, St. Paddy’s falls on a Saturday, so you’ve got all day to party, watch a parade, and ingest as much green food coloring as you can. And don’t forget to get a good running start on the holiday with a few pre-game events at your favorite pub.
March 3
Brian O’Neill’s
5555 Morningside Dr. 713-522-2603
Join in with the folks at Brian O’Neill’s for the Sixth Annual St. Baldrick’s Day celebration, where individuals will commit to shaving their heads in public, for money, while friends and family look on. This event benefits the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the second-largest funder of children’s cancer research in the U.S, and will be held at 3 p.m. To learn more about St. Baldrick’s, or to commit to shaving your head, visit www.stbaldricks.org.
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March 9
Griff’s Shenanigans Cafe & Bar
3416 Roseland St., 713-528-9912
Griff’s will be holding its 30th annual Irish open golf tournament, better known as Beer, Boobs, Babes, and Balls, beginning at noon for tee time with a shotgun start at Cypresswood Golf Course. There’ll be trophies and prizes for first, second and third places, as well as special prizes for Closest to Hole and Longest Drive. You can also come early for a putting contest at 11 a.m. The individual entry fee is $135, and all participants must apply.
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March 10
Brian O’Neill’s
5555 Morningside Dr. 713-522-2603
Brian O’Neill’s 4th Annual Shamrock Shuffle will consist of the usual 5K Fun Run and 1K Kids Run benefiting Houston’s Ronald McDonald House. The 5K run starts at 10 a.m., while the kids’ run will begin at 10:30 a.m. Registration fees are $30 until March 11, and $40 for same-day registration. The kids’ run costs $10 to register. There will be a Sexy Kilt contest, an Irish Costume contest and a Dog Costume contest. There’ll also be a raffle, and adults will receive a free drink ticket with every 5K registration.
The Goose’s Acre Bistro & Irish Pub
21 Waterway Ave., Suite 140, 281-466-1502
The Goose’s Acre Running Club hosts its second Green Clover Fun Run for charity, with all proceeds going to St. Baldrick’s Foundation. Registration will take place online. The fun run is a 5K and starts at 10 a.m., while the children’s 1K will start at 9:30 a.m. Wearing green is highly encouraged, and runners are invited to stay after for a post-party on The Goose’s patio. Registration fees are $25 before for both adults and kids, and $35 for adults and $15 for kids on the day-of.
Griff’s Shenanigans Cafe & Bar
3416 Roseland St., 713-528-9912
Join the folks at Griff’s for the annual Irish Stew, Chili and Chicken Cook-off from noon to 6 p.m., with check-in between 9 and 11 a.m. Each team will consist of six cooks; they must supply everything they may need, including propane, and prepare the food at Griff’s after check-in, including three gallons of stew or chili and one whole chicken. The entry fee is $15 for one item or $30 for all three. Judging begins at 4 p.m. for chicken, 4:45 p.m. for stew and 5:30 p.m. for chili. The prizes will include: for first place, 12 festival passes and $25 worth of drink tickets for St. Paddy’s Day; for second place, six festival passes for St. Paddy’s Day; and, for third place, three festival passes for St. Paddy’s Day. Awards will be given for “Best Decorated Booth” and “Most Creative Stew,” and beer will be provided for all participants during the competition. All participants must apply.
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March 11
The Goose’s Acre Bistro & Irish Pub
21 Waterway Ave., Suite 140, 281-466-1502
Like its sister pub, Brian O’Neill’s, The Goose’s Acre will be participating in the 6th Annual St. Baldrick’s Day celebration, which involves people shaving their heads publicly. This event will help to raise donations for children’s cancer research through the St. Baldrick’s organization, the second-largest funder of children’s cancer research in the U.S. The event will start at 3 p.m. To learn more about St. Baldrick’s, or to commit to shaving your head, please visit www.stbaldricks.org.
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March 13
Griff’s Shenanigans Cafe & Bar
3416 Roseland St., 713-528-9912
Compete in the third annual St. Patrick’s Day Cornhole Tournament under the Tent at Griff’s for prizes and fun.
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March 15
Griff’s Shenanigans Cafe & Bar
3416 Roseland St., 713-528-9912
Griff’s annual St. Paddy’s Day Queen Contest starts at 7 p.m. under the tent. The judging will be based on natural beauty, poise, attire and personality. All the contestants will have to apply; check-in begins at 5:30 p.m.
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March 16
Lucky Strike
1201 San Jacinto, 713-343-3300
Visit Lucky Strike on the eve of St. Patrick’s Day for beer and Irish shot specials from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
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March 16-17
Cedar Creek
1034 W. 20th St., 713-808-9623
www.cedarcreek.squarespace.com
Canyon Creek
6603 Westcott, 713-864-5885
Dry Creek
544 Yale, 713-426-2313
Onion Creek
3106 White Oak, 713-880-0706
Celebrate St. Paddy’s with live music, green beer and drink specials at the Creeks. This event will be held at all four cafes in the Creek Group.
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March 16-18
Phoenicia Specialty Foods/MKT Bar
1001 Austin St., 832-360-2222
Phoenicia will have shamrock-shaped pita bread and other limited-edition bakery goods plus special in-store prizes for shoppers. MKT BAR will offer a special menu of Irish breakfast, corned beef and cabbage pizza, Irish stew, Guinness cupcakes and plenty of Irish beer. Patrons can also enjoy live musical entertainment, a special film screening and an Irish play list throughout the weekend. Parade participants are invited to stop by the day of the parade for an Irish breakfast.
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March 17
Brian O’Neill’s
5555 Morningside Dr. 713-522-2603
Brian O’Neill’s St. Paddy’s Day event will be chock-full of live entertainment by such guests as The Elroys, Big Richard, Obsolete August, The Jig is Up, Crown, The Skylights, Cass Academy of Dance, O’Maioledigh Dancers, and the HFD Pipe and Drum Band. The day begins with an 8 a.m. breakfast and ends with a parking-lot party that lasts until 2 a.m. The offerings will include traditional Irish foods such as shepherd’s pie, corned beef and cabbage, and fish and chips.
Cadillac Bar
1802 Shepherd, 713-862-2020
From 4 p.m. until closing time, Cadillac Bar will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with a fiesta. The event includes drink specials for green beer, margs and bombs; both entry and parking will be free, and there will be a number of contests and giveaways.
The Ginger Man Pub
5607 Morningside Dr., 713-526-2770
Swing by the pub for a taste of its St. Patrick’s Day specialty beer.
Griff’s Shenanigans Café & Bar
3416 Roseland St., 713-528-9912
The 47th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Festival at Griff’s runs all day and night, and includes music, beer and companionship. Guests can join the 11 p.m. caravan to Houston’s Annual St Patrick’s Day Parade, then return to Griff’s post-parade cookoff.
The Harp
1625 Richmond, 713-528-7827
From noon to 2 a.m., enjoy the company of Irish dancers, bagpipers and live musical entertainers. There will also be plenty of food, beads and specials on shots.
Houston St. Patrick’s Parade
1800 Texas
The whole neighborhood is invited to the 53rd Annual St. Patrick’s Parade. From noon to 2 p.m., celebrate the Houston tradition, which features more than 100 entries every year and is completely free to join. The parade will begin at 1800 Texas and end at 801 St. Emanuel, where Lucky’s Pub will be hosting the official parade after-party.
Kung Fu Saloon
5317 Washington, 713-864-0642
From 11 to 2 a.m., celebrate St. Patrick’s Day Kung Fu-style with drink specials and free games.
Lucky’s Pub
801 St. Emanuel, 713-522-2010; 27126 Northwest Fwy., 281-758-2514
Come St. Paddy’s Day, Lucky’s will be fully decked out with leprechauns, bagpipers and green beer for its fifth annual St. Patrick’s Day Festival. Doors open at 9 a.m. 94.5 The Buzz will be broadcasting live, and visitors will enjoy entertainment from 12 bands and four DJs. Join in the party at either of the two locations. The St. Emanuel location will be the destination for the Houston St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and will be the official after-party location.
Mugsy’s
2239 Richmond, 713-522-7118
The party at Mugsy’s features live music from Sammy Hundley, green beer, burgers, wings, and drink specials all day.
Next Door Bar and Lounge
14714 Memorial Dr., 281-493-0307
From 3 p.m. to 2 a.m., visit Next Door for its Sham-Rock the House St. Patrick’s Day Bash. The event is free, and will feature $3 green beer, $2 green jello shots, $4 St. Paddy’s Day shots, $5 Irish car bombs and $18 green beer towers.
Scout Bar
18307 Egret Bay Blvd., 281-335-0002
Celebrate the day with a visit to Shamrock Fest 2012, which will feature Saturate, Born From Ruins, the CB Kings and South.
Sherlock’s and Baker St. Pub & Grill
1952 W. Gray, 713-521-1881 (and seven other locations)
All eight Sherlock’s or Baker St. Pub and Grills in Houston will be serving up green beer and live musical entertainment.
Tailgating Sports Grille
9607 FM 1960 West, 281-890-8393
www.tailgatingsportsgrille.com
The Grille’s party, St. Paddy’s on the Patio, will feature such festive drinks as green beer, Irish car bombs and Lucky Charm shots. Visitors will also have the pleasures of live musical entertainment, Irish pub grub and door prizes.
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March 17-18
Mezzanine Lounge
2200 Southwest Fwy., 713-528-6399
The Mezzanine wants to be sure you have a good time on St. Paddy’s Day, so it’s putting on a few drink specials, including: $3 Guinness pints, $4 car bombs and $2.50 green beer. In addition, the lounge will be providing live music, free parking, free Irish stew and karaoke, all for no cover. And, to make sure your good time on the big day keeps on rolling, the Mezzanine will also have its St. Patrick’s Day Hangover event, with a $4 Bloody Mary bar and all-you-can-eat crawfish.
This article appears in Mar 8-14, 2012.