Kyra Smith is the Public Relations Manager for the Hilton Pensacola Beach Hotel.

 

Ready to Go Green on Pensacola Beach this St. Patrick’s Day?

Don’t miss the 5th annual Go Irish on the Island is March 11 – 17, 2013 on Pensacola Beach, Florida. No need to press your luck this St. Paddy’s Day.  Take the elevator home with a SWEET beachfront hotel deal at the Holiday Inn Resort, Hilton Gulf Front or Hampton Inn Hotels.  

With Mardi Gras almost in the rear view, we begin preparations to Go Irish on the Island. That’s right, get your green out and your liver ready for this wild and wacky week long celebration.

How did St. Patrick’s day grow to include all these crazy shenanigans, you ask?

Well, the Irish have celebrated this holiday for over 1,000 years. On St. Patrick’s Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink and feast.

This tradition carried over as the Irish began to immigrate to North America. Saint Patrick’s Day has come to be a celebration of Irish and Irish American culture all over the world. According to legend, St. Patrick used a shamrock – a three leaved native green clover plant – to explain the Holy Trinity to the people of Ireland.  So we pay homage to him by wearing green and lots of fun shamrock accessories.

In American cities with a large Irish population, St. Patrick’s Day is a very big deal. Big cities and small towns alike celebrate with parades, “wearing of the green,” music and songs, Irish food and drink, and activities for kids such as crafts, coloring and games.

Pensacola is no exception. Important ancestries of people in the Pensacola bay area include German, English, Italian, French, Scots-Irish and yes, you guessed it, Irish. With area landmark’s including McGuire’s Irish Pub, which is widely considered the best replica Irish pub in north Florida, it is imperative we celebrate our fore fathers and carry on their tradition.

And celebrate we will! The 5th annual Go Irish on the Island is March 11 – 17, 2013 on Pensacola Beach. Go Irish on the Island features an abundance of parties brimming with live music and fine Irish fare. The cornerstone of the event is the 27th annual St. Paddy’s Day Pub Crawl which takes place on March 17 to benefit Covenant Hospice. You can visit a whopping number of beach restaurants, beginning at 10am, from Sidelines to the Sandshaker including everything in between. But that’s just the tip of the rainbow.

Events include a green bikini contest, pot o’gold poker tournament, a re-enactment of Tim Finnegan’s Wake, a Catholic Mass and an appearance by St. Patrick.

Want a sneak peek at some of the specials? Of course you do!

Celebrate all week long with these sweet deals. Riptides Sports Grill in the Holiday Inn Resort Pensacola Beach and H2O Cajun Asian Grill in the Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Front Hotel will be offering Corned Beef and Cabbage for $14.95 all day every day March 11 – March 17.

A new addition to the festivities this year is the ‘Dine Irish on the Island’ on March 16. This is a fun opportunity for Pensacola Beach restaurants to feature an Irish tapas or appetizer for all party goers to sample.

H2O Cajun Asian Grill will offer these Irish delights:
Drunken Mussels in Guinness
Prince Edward Island mussels with braised onions, garlic, celery, thyme, and plenty of Guinness -$8

Bangers & Mash
Grilled beef sausage over mash with onions & gravy -$8

Lamb Sliders
Juicy lamb slider served with dijon aioli & housemade fries -$8

Riptides Sports Grill will also offer amazing Irish treats including:

Crawfish Poundies
Deep fried mashed potato pancakes with crawfish tails & shredded cheddar – $8

Mini Shepard’s Pies
Individual meat pies stuffed with seasoned ground beef, carrots, green beans & mashed potatoes -$8

And on March 17, Pub Crawlers can enjoy
$3 Rolling Rock Drafts at Gilligan’s Tiki Bar at the Hampton Inn Pensacola Beach, $3 Irish Gold Shooters at Latitude’s Pool Bar at the Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Front Hotel and
$4 St.Paddy’s Day Punch at Riptide Sports Grill’s Tiki Bar at the Holiday Inn Resort Pensacola Beach.

Don’t forget, pub crawlers can catch a ride on the Leprechaun Transit. The transportation ticket is $5 and the trolley runs from 12:30 to 4:30pm.

In the spirit of the holiday, we share this old Irish blessing…
May love and laughter light your days,and warm your heart and home. May good and faithful friends be yours,wherever you may roam. May peace and plenty bless your world with joy that long endures. May all life’s passing seasons bring the best to you and yours!

 

 

 

Related Posts

• 5th Annual Taste of the Beach 2012
• Riptides Sports Grill, The Biggest Tiki Bar on the Gulf Coast
• Superbowl Football Party at Riptides Sports Grill Pensacola Beach

One Response to “Ready to Go Green on Pensacola Beach this St. Patrick’s Day?”

1. Tina Daniels says:

   March 11, 2013 at 12:42 pm

   My favorite Irish drink is an Irish Wake.

   Reply