Dallas very big on celebrating St. Patrick’s Day

by Teresa Gubbins

DALLAS — Other cities may boast larger populations of actual Irish people, but that doesn't stop Dallas-Fort Worth from celebrating St. Patrick's Day as if it were Dublin.

From the North Texas Irish Festival to the debauched parade on Greenville Avenue, we seize every opportunity to engage in all the cliches: wearing hats and shirts in a kelly green we'd shun any other day, attempting to sing "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" on key, talking like the guy from the Lucky Charms commercial, and drinking lots of beer.

Green hair rocks.

Hopefully, our zeal will counteract the survey by the National Retail Federation that predicts a drop in St. Patrick's Day consumer spending. The organization polled 8,426 people across the country in February to gauge how festive they were feeling and found that the average celebrant will spend $32.80 on decorations, food and beverage, and festive attire -- down from an average of $35.04 in 2008.

Quote! "Many Americans will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in small ways with special meals or a few decorations," said NRF President and CEO Tracy Mullin. 81.9% said they'll don green, 33.3% will make a special dinner, 21.8% will decorate their home or office, 16.7% will hold private parties, and 29.6% will attend bar/restaurant celebrations.

That last group -- the bar/restaurant celebrants -- are our people, and these are some of the options they can find:

Saturday March 14

Start the day bright and early with a 5K race: The Greenville Avenue "Dash" begins at 7 a.m.

Join the mob at the infamous Greenville Avenue parade.

Or find a smaller scale parade in Frisco, kicking off from Lochrann's Irish Pub.

If you're already at the Greenville Ave. parade, it'll be easy to catch a set by Blue Pearl at the Granada.

Energy Square on Greenville Avenue will host the Old 97's

The afterparty at Energy Square is headlined by Old 97's.

Black Irish headlines a multi-band bill at the Lone Star Country Club.

Tuesday March 17

For the quintessential St. Patrick's Day experience, catch local Irish band The Killdares performing at the Idle Rich Pub, owned by genuine Irishman Feargal McKinney.

For classy classical-music types, the Dallas Wind Symphony offers Marches in March at the Morton Meyerson Center.

Party Crashers will be at Tolbert's in Grapevine.

The O's will headline at Double Wide.

For drinking and eating types, RA Sushi is serving a drink called the Irish Kiss and a special green sushi roll, but it's for one day only.

Meanwhile, Sunday March 8 is the last day of the North Texas Irish Festival.

Aye an' begorrah, Tommy! Top o' the marnin' to ye. Éirinn go brách!