Irish or not, St. Patrick’s Day is one of those beloved holidays kids and adults alike enjoy. Let’s face it, dressing in green, whether it be just putting on a simple St. Patty’s day pin to all-out dying hair green, this holiday is fun! We associate St. Patrick’s Day with a green leprechaun, green shamrocks, beer and all things Irish and tend to not educate our families on the actual meaning behind St. Patrick. Well, here are a few family-friendly events (think non pub crawls!) that are both fun and provide plenty of Irish-inspired education.
This year, St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Monday, so most of the events happen the weekend prior. Here’s the line-up of fun for your family to choose from:
Saturday, March 16 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Grovenburg United Methodist Church (open to the public) FREE for kids 4 and under
St. Patrick’s day dinner which includes corned beef and cabbage with potatoes, carrots and onions, dinner roll, beverage and dessert. Baked goods available for purchase. All proceeds will help purchase seeds and plants for the Ted Johnson Memorial Food Bank Garden.
1368 Grovenburg Road, Holt, MI 48842 Fellowship Hall Venue. Phone: 517-694-7683
Ticket Pricing: Adults $9, $4.50 ages 5-11, free for kids 4 and younger
Saturday March 16th 11:00am – 4:00pm
Cole-Briggs Post 48 American Legion (open to the public) FREE
An official Irish Stew Cookoff, come in a vote for your favorite stew! Call 517-627-1232 for more information 731 N Clinton, Grand Ledge, MI 48837
Saturday March 16th 2:00 pm
Downtown Grand Ledge FREE
http://glstpats.org/index.html
For those who really love parades, this is the only one in the Greater Lansing area and is its 10th year. The Parade starts at 2:00 p.m., plenty of time after the Irish Stew Cookoff starts so families can do both events. The Parade features several bands and floats, including the the Goderich Drum & Bagpipe Band and the Glen Erin Bagpipe Band. There is a Queens court and much, much more. Immediately following the parade head over to the Grand Ledge Opera House to watch Irish Dancers and Goderich Drum & Bagpipe Band up close. Admission is FREE for this as well!
While we wait for Spring to arrive and GREEN to arrive in the form of green grass, tree buds and the first shoots of flowers, you can get your “green on” in a family-fun atmosphere with these honored and traditional events.