Patch Picks: Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Redmond

St. Patrick’s Day is coming up next Thursday, and even though we’re short on blarney stones here, there’s no lack of fun ways to celebrate this Irish holiday.

St. Patrick's Day was originally started to honor its namesake, who has been the patron saint of Ireland for more than 1,000 years. St. Patrick is credited with bringing the written word to Ireland.

To commemorate the celebration, we've found some great activities and places to help you get your Irish on this year.

1. To kick off the holiday right, consider participating in JJ's fourth-annual St. Patrick’s Day 5k run/walk, held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 12 on the Sammamish River Trail. Prizes will be awarded for most creative costume, and part of the entry fees will be donated to the Woodland Park Zoo. The cost is $25 on race day.
2. , 8932 161st Ave. NE, will open its doors at 9 a.m. Thursday for the opening of the NCAA tournament. What better way to note the day than a trip to your local Irish pub?
3. The Cajun café and Irish pub, 7281 W Lake Sammamish Parkway NE, will feature a full lineup of live music on St. Patrick’s day, including Celtic Fire from 3 to 6 p.m., Otto Pilot at 8 p.m., and Eastside Firefighters Pipes & Drums from 9:40 to 10:40 p.m.
4. , 19545 NE Redmond Road, is holding a “Go Green for St. Patrick’s Day” nature event for families from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 12. The cost is $24, and includes fun and games with a recycling theme. Call Redmond Parks and Recreation at 425-556-2300 to register.
5. For more family fun, consider venturing to Seattle for the Irish Heritage Club’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, starting at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 12, at Fourth Avenue and Jefferson. The fun continues at Center House in the Seattle Center, where an Irish festival will go on from noon to 6 p.m. Admission to the festival is free.
6. Planning your own celebration at home? Bill the Butcher, 7990 Leary Way NE, is busily curing brisket, in case you’d like to make your own corned beef dinner. The finished product should be available starting Monday.