We’re losing time this weekend thanks to Daylight Savings, but thankfully you’ll be able to fit in an extra hour of drinking green beer to make up for it at these Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations:
Chicago Shamrock Crawl This is the place to be if you want to throw on a green tutu and throw back more green beer than you should. Stops along the way include Wrigleyville bars like Casey Moran’s, Full Shilling, and Sluggers. Sat 3/11, 8 AM-1 PM, John Barleycorn, 3524 N. Clark, 773-549-6000, chicagoshamrockcrawl.com, $40.
Eat, Drink, and Be Irish Start your day with a traditional Irish breakfast of Guinness, Bloody Marys, mimosas, and green beer. Oh, and there will be food too. Sat 3/11, 9 AM-1 PM, Tavern on Little Fort, 4128 N. Lincoln, 773-360-1869, littleforttavern.com, $20.
Fitzgerald’s Saint Patrick’s Day Festival A full day of traditional Irish food and drink plus live music and dance from the Mayer School Stepdancers, the Dooley Brothers, Fitz & the Celts, and more. Sat 3/18, 1 PM, FitzGerald’s, 6615 Roosevelt, Berwyn, 708-788-2118, fitzgeraldsnightclub.com, $15.
Gaelic Storm The Celtic-rock giants play a pair of shows. Fri 3/10-Sat 3/11, 9 PM, House of Blues, 329 N. Dearborn, 312-923-2000, houseofblues.com/chicago, $36.
Luck o’ the Irish Chef Ronak Patel guides students through a cooking class celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day, complete with mussels in garlic cream sauce, beef and Guinness stew with colcannon, and oatmeal baked apples. Fri 3/10, 6:30-9:30 PM, Read It and Eat, 2142 N. Halsted, 773-661-6158, readitandeatstore.com, $85.
Lucky Charms 2 Amanda Lepore headlines this night of drag performances and dancing with music from Spice Boy and La Spacer. Thu 3/16, 10 PM-4 AM, Berlin, 954 W. Belmont, 773-348-4975, berlinchicago.com, $10.
Northwest Side Irish Parade Celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day weekend at the 14th annual Northwest Side Irish Parade, beginning at 6634 N. Raven, running south down Neola Avenue to Northwest Highway, and north to Harlem Avenue. Sun 3/12, noon, 6633 W. Raven, northwestsideirish.org.
Off the Paddy Wagon The theater’s signature drinking-game comedy show goes green with Saint Patrick’s Day-themed sketches. 3/15-3/18: Wed 8 PM, Thu-Sat 11 PM, Cornservatory, 4210 N. Lincoln, 773-650-1331, cornservatory.org, $10-$15.
Saint Patrick’s Day at Drumbar This booze-centric celebration features stout beers, a whiskey tasting, and specialty cocktails like frozen Irish coffee and an Irish old-fashioned. Sat 3/11, 1-5 PM, Drumbar, 201 E. Delaware, 312-943-5000, drumbar.com, $69.
Saint Patrick’s Day River Crawl Begins at Boss Bar and includes stops at five more River North drinking establishments, including Henry’s, Joy District, and Moe’s Cantina. Guests collect $20 in gift cards along the way. Sat 3/11, 8 AM-noon, Boss Bar, 420 N. Clark, 312-527-1203, chicagorivercrawl.com, $50.
Saint Patrick’s Day With Bootycandy A special holiday performance of Robert O’Hara’s play about growing up queer and black features complimentary green Jell-O shots and a special Irish cocktail available at the bar. Fri 3/17, 8 PM, Windy City Playhouse, 3014 W. Irving Park, 312-374-3196, windycityplayhouse.com, $25-$45.
South Side Irish Parade A celebration of all things Irish starting at West 103rd and Western and finishing at West 115th. Sun 3/12, noon, Western between W. 103rd and W. 115th, southsideirishparade.org.
Saint Patrick’s Day Parade The traditional celebration includes the great dyeing of the river at 9 AM and a parade up Columbus Drive at noon. Sat 3/11, 9 AM, Balbo and Columbus, chicagostpatricksdayparade.org.
Saint Patrick’s Day Ping-Pong Party Tickets include three drink tokens, a breakfast buffet, prizes, live music, and, of course, ping-pong. Sat 3/11, 8 AM-noon, Spin Chicago, 344 N. State, 773-635-9999, chicago.wearespin.com, $30-$45.
Saint Patrick’s Festival This holiday festival includes vendors selling gifts and refreshments, traditional Irish music and dance, and Irish language workshops. Sat 3/11, noon-11:55 PM, Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N. Knox, 773-282-7035, irish-american.org, $12.
Saint Pat’s Brunch Buffet The Pony Inn kicks off Saint Patrick’s Day weekend with a brunch buffet featuring eggs, bacon, doughnuts, green beer, and more. Sat 3/11, 9 AM-1 PM, the Pony, 1638 W. Belmont, 773-828-5055, theponychicago.com, $30.