St. Patrick‘s Day Rocks

March 15, 2006

Everyone is Irish for a day this Friday as nightclubs across the region put on their green beer-goggles in search of leprechauns and four-leaf clovers.
Northern Michigan’s biggest Irish event has to be the Lucky Leprechaun’s Ball at The Hagerty Center on West Bay in Traverse City. The doors open at 6:30 p.m. with music by Song of the Lakes, an Irish stew buffet with fish and lamb options, and an Irish dance show by students from the Dance Arts Academy.
“This is the 23rd year that Song of the Lakes has performed in the area on St. Patrick’s Day,” notes Teresa O’Hara, publicist for the band. “And it’s the 23rd year they’ll be hosting their annual ‘Danny Boy’ contest.”
For the uninitiated, SOL warms up the crowd with a rousing dash of foot-stomping Celtic tunes and then surrenders the stage to audience members brave enough to sing, “O Danny Boy, the pipes, the pipes are ca-a-lling...” The event is guaranteed to bring a grin to your face, if not a tear to your eye.
This year’s Lucky Leprechaun Ball will also feature the third annual Merlin O’Dumbrille Lucky Limerick Contest; so whittle your words and choose them well, lest your poetic efforts go straight to... heck.
Ball-goers will also have a chance to participate in an Irish step dancing contest (think Lord of the Dance) and enjoy an exhibition of Ceili dancing.
Song of the Lakes vows to perform at least 90% authentic Irish tunes with a few of their own originals thrown in for flavoring. The all-acoustic band celebrates Celtic culture and the allure of the Great Lakes.
The ball will benefit the Father Fred Foundation for the third year in a row. Typically, it’s a sell-out with some 600 persons attending. It also provides a family-oriented alternative to the bar scene.
Tickets are $20 adults, $15 students and seniors and free for kids under age 12. The Hagerty Center is located in the Great Lakes Campus of Northwestern Michigan College on West Bay.

Other notable St. Patrick’s Day events:

• City Park Grill in Petoskey hosts a St. Patty’s Day Party with the Mudbugz, stepping up their zydeco and creole chops with some Irish jigs.
• Shorts Brewing Company in Bellaire presents the Celt-centric band Tanglemere. The band also performs earlier in the day at Ivan’s, Shanty Creek.
• TC Celtic brings old-school Irish tunes to the Loading Dock in TC, with The Dopes supplying the hard stuff later in the evening.
• The Leelanau Sands Showroom presents the Friends of the Bob & Tom Show, March 17-18, including comedians Kathleen Madigan, Nick Griffin, Greg Warren and Henry Phillips. Tickets are $25-$35.
• Elsewhere: see the Express Nightlife calendar & Hot Dates for a venue near you.