St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Wednesday this year. While the midweek date may put a damper on the daytime festivities (or may put a dent in workplace productivity, depending on your level of commitment), it also gives bar owners a chance to ramp up the revelry the weekend before.
After the jump, we’ve compiled a list of the best (mostly over-21) St. Patrick’s Day fun Arlington has to offer, from Thursday the week before to the wee hours of March 17. Enjoy — and please leave the car at home if you choose to imbibe.
Ri Ra Irish Pub (2915 Wilson Blvd)
- Thurs., March 11 to Sun., March 14
- Traditional Irish music
- Tues., March 16
- 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. — Irish-themed trivia
- St. Patrick’s Day (Wed., March 17)
- $4 black and tans and $4 half and half Guinness beer cocktails
- 8:00 a.m. — Open for breakfast
- 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Traditional Irish acoustic music
- $4 Guinness, $3.50 for other drafts
- $2.50 domestic bottles
- Half-price rail drinks
- Cover charged after 6:00 p.m.
- 9:00 p.m. — Dr. Fu performs
Ireland’s Four Courts (2051 Wilson Blvd)
- Sat., March 13
- 7:30 a.m. — Doors open
- 9:00 a.m. — Four Courts Four Miler
- Shamrockfest pre- and post-party
- Live music all day
- Sun., March 14
- 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. — Irish buffet brunch
- 9:00 p.m. to close — Irish-themed karaoke
- Mon., March 15
- 7:30 p.m. — Irish pub quiz (with giveaways)
- St. Patrick’s Day (Wed., March 17)
- 10:00 a.m. — Doors open
- Irish lunch specials
- Music all day (on main stage and in heated tent
Clarendon St. Patrick’s Day Parade (Wilson Blvd and N. Barton St)
- Tues., March 16
- 8:00 p.m. — Parade heads up Wilson Blvd to Clarendon Metro station
- Will feature homegrown floats, people in costumes, and marchers from various local organizations
Iota (2832 Wilson Blvd)
- Tues., March 16
- 9:00 p.m. — O’Tasty performs (Irish rock)
Whitlow’s on Wilson (2854 Wilson Blvd)
- Tues., March 16
- Time TBA — Manannan performs (traditional Celtic music)
- St. Patrick’s Day (Wed., March 17)
- $5.50 Guinness pints
- $5 Smithwick’s
- 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. — Irish food served
- Time TBA — Shannon Tide performs Celtic music
Sine (1301 S. Joyce St)
- St. Patrick’s Day (Wed., March 17)
- 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. — All-you-can-eat buffet (fish and chips, Sheppard’s pie, bangers with onions and peppers, corned beef and cabbage)
McGinty’s Public House (3650 South Glebe Road)
- St. Patrick’s Day (Wed., March 17)
- Green beer, limited food menu
- Giveaways from Market Square at Potomac Yard retailers, including Massage Envy, Quiznos, LA Fitness, Cardinal Cleaners, Yvonne’s Hair & Nail, MyCell, Harris Teeter and Bank of America
- 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. — Carson and Chilli from Mix 107.3 FM broadcasting live
- 3:00 to 3:30 p.m. and 7:00 to 7:30 p.m. — Irish dancing
- 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. — Trad Routes (traditional Irish band flown in from Ireland) performs
- 9:00 p.m. to close — More live music
Kitty O’Shea’s (2403 Wilson Blvd)
- St. Patrick’s Day (Wed., March 17)
- 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. — Open for full Irish breakfast (corned beef hash, etc.)
- 11:00 a.m. to close — Full traditional Irish lunch/dinner menu, no cover
O’Sullivan’s Irish Pub (3207 Washington Blvd)
- St. Patrick’s Day (Wed., March 17)
- 2:00 p.m. to close — Three Irish bands perform
Mackey’s Public House (320 South 23rd St)
- St. Patrick’s Day (Wed., March 17)
- Discounted Irish signature dishes
- Noon to 4:00 p.m. — $3 Irish draft beers
- 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. — $4 Irish draft beers
- 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. — $5 Irish draft beers
- 8:00 p.m. — DJ playing Irish music and modern dance music
Mister Days (3100 North Clarendon Blvd)
- St. Patrick’s Day (Wed., March 17)
- Green beer and other drink specials
- Giveaways
- Food specials including corned beef and cabbage and lamb stew
Crystal City Sports Pub (529 South 23rd St)
- St. Patrick’s Day (Wed., March 17)
- Specials all day featuring corned beef and cabbage, irish stew, sheppard’s pie and potato leek soup
Tortoise and Hare (567 South 23rd St)
- St. Patrick’s Day (Wed., March 17)
- Green beer, Miller Lite and Bud Light specials all day
- Guinness specials until 9:00 p.m.
- 9:00 p.m. — Cover band Klepto Radio performs
Bailey’s Pub and Grill Crystal City (2010-A Crystal Drive)
- St. Patrick’s Day (Wed., March 17)
- 2:00 p.m. — Drink specials including green beer, Jameson and car bombs
- 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. — DJ playing Irish and popular music
- 9:00 p.m. — Karaoke
Bailey’s Pub and Grill Ballston (4238 Wilson Blvd)
- St. Patrick’s Day (Wed., March 17)
- Green beer and $2.50 Miller Lites
Ragtime (1345 N Courthouse Road)
- St. Patrick’s Day (Wed., March 17)
- $3 Green beer
- $3 McSorley’s Irish black lager
- $2.50 Miller Light drafts
- $6 Coors Light buckets (4 bottles)
- $5 Red Bull and vodkas
- Irish food (corned beef and cabbage, Sheppard’s pie, and Guinness stew)
- 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. — Covered with Jam performs (rock/jam band)
Rock Bottom (4238 Wilson Blvd)
- St. Patrick’s Day (Wed., March 17)
- $1.50 pints (including Irish Red)
- $2 shooters
- $5 Jaeger bombs
- $6 Red Bull and vodkas
- $9.99 Corned beef and cabbage
The Bungalow (2766 S. Arlington Mill Dr.)
- Mon., March 15 to St. Patrick’s Day (Wed., March 17)
- Irish menu specials including “Irish spring” Reuben rolls, Oh Danny Boy sandwich, Stew O’Guinness, Luck O’the Irish platter
- Live music Wednesday night
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