Safe St. Patrick’s Day Activities

By edhat staff

This is the second year the annual Irish-American holiday will be celebrated distantly and differently due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but there’s still many fun ways to celebrate!

While the day is rooted in religious undertones, marking the death of Ireland’s patron Saint Patrick, Irish immigrants brought the commemoration to the United States as early as 1737. Festivities have grown in the following years where it’s estimated that 33 million people worldwide raise pints of Guinness and chug Irish car bomb cocktails for Ireland’s sake. 

Last year’s celebrations were cut short as we first experienced businesses shutting down due to the coronavirus. We’re now a year later and things haven’t changed much, except more and more people are becoming vaccinated as restrictions lessen. Experts are still advising people do not gather with others outside their households, although restaurants and bars are able to open outdoors. Here are some ideas to celebrate the green holiday.

Shop Local

1. Order Bangers N’ Mash or Pot Pie from Santa Barbara’s very own Irish pub, Dargan’s.

2. Visit outdoors or order pints to-go from a variety of local brewers.

3. Pick up fresh baked bread and sweet-treats from local bakeries.

DRINK

1. Have the tried and true national beer of Ireland, Guinness.

2. Take other types of Irish beer, such as Harp, and add a few drops of green food coloring for a green beer.

3. There are too many Irish whiskey brands to name but grab a few and have a small tasting. Jameson, Midelton, Redbreast, and Tyrconnell are just a few.

4. Enjoy your evening (or morning, we won’t judge) with a little whiskey in your coffee for an Irish Coffee.

5. Bailey’s Irish Floats are great for a boozy dessert.

COOK

1. Irish Soda Bread comes in many variations that are equally delicious. There’s also a 30-minute Irish Brown Bread that’s easy to make and very tasty.

2. Use the versatility of Guinness with a cozy Guinness Beef Stew or Beef and Guinness Pie.

3. The ever traditional corned beef and cabbage.

4. Take some extra time to create a brioche bread and butter pud dessert.

5. You’ll never go wrong with an Irish apple cake with custard sauce. 

EXPERIENCE

1. Listen to authentic Irish tunes 

2. Watch movies with Irish themes. Here are just a few options: Bloody Sunday, Michael Collins, Angela’s Ashes, Circle of Friends, The Wind That Shakes the Barley, and Brooklyn.

3. Hop online and learn about Irish history.

4. Try to learn an Irish jig with this YouTube video

5. Listen to poetry by Irish authors such as W.B. Yeats, Seamus Heaney, and Samuel Beckett for free on Spotify.

6. For additional reading, we previously published a story about a trip our Publisher made to Dingle, Ireland. Dingle was one of Santa Barbara’s sister cities and it has a dolphin statue created by our very own Bud Bottoms. Read more about Lauren’s trip to Dingle here.