A Guide to Saint Patrick's Day in Ames

Some Ames residents and Iowa State students will likely be as absent as the snakes when Saint Patrick's Day celebrations begin this weekend, but the holiday celebration was the predecessor of the University's VEISHEA celebration.

The Engineering College adopted the holiday as its own in 1910 according to “VEISHEA: Iowa State's Rite of Spring” exhibit from the Parks Library.

The celebration's highlight was a mile-long parade with snakes and dragons and a Knights of the Order of Saint Patrick swearing in ceremony.

Apparently the event scared the snakes from Ames and students will begin Spring Break Friday, but there's some celebrating to be had as Irish Pubs and establishments will serve green food, beer and traditional dishes.

Dublin's Bay, an Irish pub and grill, will begin festivities 2 p.m. Saturday with the 3^rd Annual Good Neighbor Emergency Assistance, Inc. Benefit. Irish dancers take the stage at 4:30 p.m. Brian Congdon performs free from 6 to 9 p.m.

Sunday the pub and grill opens at 6 a.m. with a traditional Irish breakfast. Irish dancers perform at noon and 4:30 p.m. Kelly's Clan will perform from 1 to 4 p.m. Decoy plays from 6 to 9 p.m. And bagpipers will perform throughout the day.

The Ames Public Library is offering a family event 2 p.m. Sunday at the Ames City Auditorium. APL Unplugged will include a concert, stories and poetry. Four Shillings Short is a Celtic, folk, world music duo that will play traditional and original music from the Celtic lands.

Whiskey River plans another Saint Paddy's Day event about the same as last year, but in two locations. They will celebrate with green eggs and ham, green beer and free T-shirts to the first 50 people in the door at 7 a.m. Sunday. Their sister pub in Bondurant called Founder's Irish Pub will have similar festivities.

New this year to Saint Patrick's Day will be the Chip Shop at “Chars BP.” They will serve corned beef and cabbage starting at 9 a.m. Sunday. The half gas station, half restaurant is on the edge of Ames on South Duff Avenue.

This year there will be an official pub crawl on Main Street. Olde Main, DG's Tap House Corner Pocket, London Underground, Sporty's, Deano's, 5 and Dime, Whiskey River and the American Legion are participating in an official pub crawl from 7 p.m. to midnight Saturday. Visit each stop to participate in Saint Paddy's Day specials and register to win a bar tab.

And if none of that suits you, there is a Saint Paddy's Day Show at The Space 8 p.m. Sunday. And you could be the star. It's open mic night.

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