March 17 is one of the merriest holidays of the year, as millions of people worldwide hope to catch a bit of Irish luck on St. Patrick’s Day. In fact, in 2012, 34.1 million Americans claimed they were of Irish ancestry, second only to German heritage. St. Patrick’s Day actually marks the day St. Patrick died after bringing Christianity to Ireland. Popular folklore suggests that the shamrock and the wearing of green became symbols of the holiday because St. Patrick used the clover leaf as a way to explain the Holy Trinity.
In Austin, Texas, St. Patrick’s Day happens to fall during the South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival, which makes it even more fun since the SXSW festival attracts over 300,000 visitors to Austin. If you are looking for a fun St. Patrick’s Day family event in Austin, check out the festivities at the Celtic Cultural Center of Austin. If you are looking for good Irish food, green beer, and Irish whiskey on St. Patrick’s Day in Austin, here is what I do:
Austin’s Official St. Paddy’s Weekend Kick Off Party
I like to celebrate all things Irish on St Patrick’s Day with Austin’s Official St. Paddy’s Day Weekend Kick Off Bar Crawl. A three-day pass for Friday, Saturday and Monday costs $23 and gives you access to all of the Austin Bar Crawl Irish Pubs and Restaurants, including the Friday night Kick Off Party venue. In the past, some of the venues that were included in the Austin St. Paddy’s Day Bar Crawl were B.D. Riley’s Irish Pub, Maggie Mae’s, and Bull McCabe’s. Take in all the Irish breakfast, lunch, dinner, and merriment you can handle in three days with this Austin St. Patrick’s Day weekend party.
Fado Irish Pub and Restaurant
214 W. 4th Street, Austin, TX 78701
512-457-0172
When I stroll along the Downtown streets of Austin during the South by Southwest Festival (SXSW) in March, I make it a point to visit Fado Irish Pub on St. Patrick’s Day to take in unique Irish music and Irish ambiance. Fado celebrates all things Irish in the Irish Country Cottage Pub, the Traditional Gaelic Shop, the Irish Pub, and the Victorian Dublin Pub. It is my favorite Austin Irish Pub and restaurant because Fado makes me feel like I am right in the middle of Ireland, with corned beef and cabbage, Boxty, and Black Pudding. I love Irish music of all kinds like U2, Enya, Chieftains, Van Morrison, and most of all, the traditional Irish folk sing-a-longs. Fado in the Warehouse District has it all!
Saxon Pub
1320 South Lamar, Austin TX 78704
512-448-2552
I end my St. Patrick’s Day celebration at Saxon Pub. Saxon Pub has been one of our favorite live music St. Patrick’s Day destinations since it opened in 1990. It is a small, cozy pub near Downtown Austin that celebrity visitors frequently enjoy while attending SXSW, Formula One, Austin City Limits Festival, and while filming movies. If you have the luck of the Irish, you might also catch legendary musicians like Arlo Guthrie and Kris Kristofferson, dropping by to jam with the scheduled bands. My favorite thing about Saxon Pub is you can get there early and order food to be delivered from nearby restaurants. They open at 2 p.m. and have free happy hour live music. There is a small charge for the featured bands. Saxon Pub also has a nice patio for smokers. Parking is limited, so we usually take a cab or plan to get their early.
More St Patrick’s Day Content from this Yahoo! Contributor
Top 50 Songs About Luck
Luck has been one of the most popular topics of songwriters and musicians for generations. The concept of luck remains elusive to most of us, but these top 50 songs about luck might just bring you some good fortune. What is luck anyway?
Top 40 Irish Movies for St. Patrick’s Day
There is something magical about St. Patrick’s Day that makes me search for that Pot O’Gold, kiss the Blarney Stone, drink green beer, and hunt for the best corned beef and cabbage in town. Here are my favorite Irish movies to watch on St. Patrick’s Day.