directed sing-along at 10am at Church of the Sacred Heart, 111 Fourth St. NW. Expect popular songs like “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling” and “Danny Boy,” not bar tunes, Clayton says. Mass, led by Bishop John Michael Quinn (yes, he’s Irish), and crowning of Mr. and Mrs. Emerald Isle follow at 10:30. Says Sacred Heart’s Father Gregory Leif of German, not Irish, ancestry, “The Irish-American heritage gives them pride in both God and country and helps them to celebrate family traditions and genealogy.” Come noon, those Irish families (known as “clans”) parade from the church to The Mill event center, 310 Second Ave. SW., for Mulligan Stew. A rally—a time of Irish singing, storytelling and more—follows at 2pm. Clayton advises wearing green or risk getting pinched. Irish lore has it that leprechauns pinch those not dressed in green. Shops vending Irish items, baked goods and other merchandise will be open at The Mill. Kids can enjoy face painting and coloring. And BINGO starts at 4pm. The evening is devoted to the crowning of Miss St. Patrick and Miss Irish Rose, starting with a 7pm talent competition. An Irish jig contest and a dance close out the festivities in Waseca.
The next morning at 11am on March 14, the celebration continues with a St. Patrick’s Day Mass at the Church of St. Mary, 165 N. Waterville Ave. Three hours later, Irish clans gather in the church parking lot for the 2pm parade to the Legion and more merriment. The band IV Play performs at 9pm. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/ lcstpats/
blocks to the VFW, according to Karen Mathias, co-owner of The Olde Triangle Pub and “a little bit of Irish.” But her eatery is through-and-through Irish from name to décor to the daily main course offerings of Irish Stew, Fish & Chips, Bangers & Mash and Shepherd’s Pie. In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, the pub adds a specialty, Corned Beef & Cabbage, available the evening of March 14 and all day on March 17. Want green beer? That, too, will be served upon request. Enhancing the dining, or drinking, experience on March 14 is live music throughout the afternoon and evening at this Irish pub, 219 Main St. W., in downtown Wabasha. For more information, visit http://www.theoldetrianglepub.com/
For more information, visit https://irishclubmn.weebly. com/
St. Patrick’s Day Parade, New Ulm Although a decidedly German city, New Ulm is home to the Irish Cultural Society of New Ulm, organizer of Minnesota’s oldest consecutive running Irish parade. This year’s 54th annual St. Patrick’s Day parade begins at 5pm Tuesday, March 17, in the historic downtown. It features clans, bagpipers and more. After the parade, join the Gathering of the Clans Banquet for Irish fare and music at Don’s Pub, aka Veigel’s Kaiserhoff, 221 N. Main St. And, yes, that would be a German restaurant known for its German food and BBQ ribs. But Irish for a day. For more information, visit https://www.newulm.com/ visitors-community/things-to-do/festivals/st-patricks-dayparade/
St. Patrick’s Day Parade, St. Peter Initiated in the 1970s, St. Peter’s St. Patrick’s Day parade features Irish clans and musical groups that follow a several-block route starting at the corner of Broadway and South Third Street. The parade begins at 5:30pm on Tuesday, March 17, and is sponsored by the St. Peter Ambassadors. Bars and restaurants in St. Peter offer food and drink specials beginning at 3pm.
At Minnesota’s second oldest Irish Catholic parish, The Church of St. Patrick founded in 1856 in Shieldsville, St. Patrick’s Day holds special importance. “It’s a tradition to honor our patron saint,” says church trustee Elgin Trcka, also a life-long parishioner and coordinator of this year’s event. The celebration is set for Sunday, March 15, beginning with a 10am Mass followed by Mulligan Stew served at 11am until gone. Cost is a free-will offering. Czech, not Irish, musicians provide an afternoon of entertainment. From noon until 2pm, the Czech Area Concertina Club from Montgomery performs. And from 2-2:30pm club member Jake Minar Bastyr plays a concertina he crafted. Ken Pomije follows on his button accordion until 3pm. Drawings for cash prizes end the celebration. All Irish and wannabe Irish must be present to claim their cash/pots of gold during the event at 7525 Dodd Road, Shieldville (northwest of Faribault). For more information, visit http://www.spshieldsville.org/
Luck of the Irish Festival with Fish Fry, St. Mary’s Parish of Winona
For more information, visit http://www.stpeterambassadors.com/
St. Patrick’s Celebration, Parade & Rally, Le Center Le Center’s St. Patrick’s Day observance begins at 7pm Friday, March 13, with the queen coronation program and crowning of Irish royalty at the American Legion, 97 S. Park Ave.
The Church of St. Patrick Celebration, Shieldsville
Food and fun center the Luck of the Irish Festival from 5-9pm Friday, March 20, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 1303 Broadway, Winona. The menu features broiled/batter-fried fish, baked potatoes/ french fries, coleslaw, desserts and assorted beverages, alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Activities include a silent auction, casino style gambling (for fun), and $6,000 in Pot of Gold cash prizes. Raffle tickets are $10 with a limited number of tickets sold.
St. Patrick’s Grand Parade & More, Wabasha
For more information or to purchase meal or raffle tickets, call St. Mary’s at 507-452-5656. Or visit https://stmaryswinona.org/
Costumed local Irish clans gather at Wabasha’s Heritage Park (under the bridge) at noon on Saturday, March 14, to march several
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