Kermit the Frog once lamented, “It’s not easy being green…” but there’s one time of year when green is always in style – St. Patrick’s Day.
And whether you’re Irish or just Irish for the weekend, Shreveport-Bossier has plenty of holiday-themed festivities where you can start celebrating as early as Thursday night. So, dust off your “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” T-shirt, remember to throw on some green and get going to some of the following events:
–4thAnnual Zocolo St. Patrick’s Day Party, 4-7 p.m. March 15: Get in on a night of cocktails and Irish fare, including Bushmills Leprechaun Lemonade & Irish Car Bombs, Ketel One Jello Shots, Baileys Shamrocktinis and more. Bayou Gypsy, a mix of funk, southern, blues, progressive rock, soul and jazz fusion, will bring the live music on the patio. No cover.
-Unwind Downtown Pub & Culture Crawl, 5:30 p.m., March 16: The monthly pub crawl is back again ready to take you to some of downtown Shreveport’s hottest pubs and bars where you can get in on plenty of drink specials. This month’s theme is Luck o’ The Irish, and crawlers are asked to wear green. Tickets are $3. Ages 21 and older only. Click here for more details.
-Shreveport’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, noon, March 17: Of course, a holiday isn’t officially a holiday in Shreveport-Bossier until a parade rolls through and this 4th annual parade kicks off at noon starting at the corner of Albany and Anniston through the Broadmoor neighborhood. Click here for more details.
-50s and 60s St. Patrick’s Fund Raising Boogie, 7 p.m., March 17 – Pull out your dancing shoes for a good cause in this fundraiser by the Kiwanis Club of Southeast Shreveport, held at Sandy’s Dance Center. The night will include free swing lessons and dancing through 10:30 p.m., a costume contest for best 50s and 60s-style attire, a silent auction, raffle prizes, complimentary heavy hors d’ouvres and more. Tickets are $30 and $50. Click here for details.
-Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with The Matthew Davidson Band, 7 p.m., March 17: Fans of all ages can stop by Madison Park El Chico Saturday night to hear the live music of The Matthew Davidson Band, who will be performing 7 to 9 p.m.
-Luck O’ the Irish, 7:30 p.m., March 17: Enjoy an evening of classical music at Riverview Theatre with Grainger and Irish pianist John O’Conor playing John Field’s Piano Concerto No. 6. (Just a bit of context – Field was known as the “Irish Chopin” for his invention of the nocturne.) But this is no snoozefest – the evening will organizers say will include “lively, dance-like and Celtic-sounding rhythms.” Tickets are $7-$42. Click here for details.
-Sci-Port: Louisiana’s Science Center’s Mad Scientist Ball: Charmed Madness, 7 p.m. March 17: Guests are invited to bring their shillelagh and bring in the green for this biennial fundraiser event, featuring potato sack races to bet on, an authentic Irish pub with specialty drinks served in Waterford crystal, live music in the Shamrock-and-Roll Space Dome and more Irish-themed fun. Admission is $125-$5000. Click here for more details.
-St. Patrick’s Day Party for Singles, 7 p.m., March 17: All the single ladies, all the single ladies… And men, are encouraged to come out in festival casual or “Irish-inspired” attire to Bain Hall at First Methodist Church for a night of food, prizes, music (for the dancers) and games (for the non-dancers.) This event is open to singles, ages 20 to 80s. Admission is $10 with RSVP and $15 at the door. Click here for more details.