We needn’t belabor how the religious celebration of Ireland’s patron saint, St. Patrick, became a rowdy time for partying in America, or that the holiday's most popular food and drink was never served in Ireland until they discovered Irish American tourists expected and added it to their offerings.
My mother was named Kathleen Collins, as Irish as you can get, but I didn’t understand the situation until Irish government officials explained it when I visited as editor of Electronic Business magazine (based in Boston, where St. Patrick’s Day is notorious.)
Let’s just all agree that it’s fun, like El Cinco de Mayo, which isn’t a big deal in Mexico except in tourist areas.
Here in Napa Valley, most bars and many popular restaurants will observe St Patrick's Day to some degree, but many don’t bother promoting it as they know they will be booked in any case.
Here are the celebrations we found, including meals and concerts as well as just good times.
Wednesday
Clif Family’s Street Food Napa Valley – Irish menu
Clif Family serves an Irish-themed Street Food Napa Valley menu from its food truck on Wednesday, March 13, featuring corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie and colcannon and champ.
March 13 will also be a Sip & Support Day for Girls on the Run North Bay. From 4 to 7 p.m., Clif Family will donate 20% of all revenue from wine and food sales to support Girls on the Run’s work.
The menu, as well as regular food truck menu items and wine orders, will be for sale from noon to 6:30 p.m. Enjoy your meal and live music on the Clif Family patio until 7 p.m. Order at cliffamilyfoodtruck.com or 707-301-7188.
The Wednesday Street Food menus are popular and sell out quickly. Pre-orders will be accepted starting the Sunday evening prior. Orders will be available until sold out.
Clif Family Winery, 709 Main St., St. Helena
Thursday
Kith & Kin’s Irish Music at the Blue Note
Napa Valley’s own Celtic band, Kith & Kin, plays Irish music at the Blue Note on Thursday, March 14, at 7:30 p.m.
Join musician/vocalists Kathi Brotemarkle, Ron Brunswick, Linda Howard, Ann Gilleran, and Michael Waterson for their sole-pounding night of jigs, reels, ballads, and blarney, accompanied by guitar, fiddle, accordion, mandolin, banjo, Irish bouzouki and bodhrán.
Blue Note, 1030 Main St., Napa, www.bluenotejazz.com/napa
Saturday
St. Patrick's weekend at Napa Yard
Napa Yard celebrates St. Patrick’s Day all weekend, on both Saturday, March 16 and Sunday, March 17, from noon until 10: p.m. each day.
On Saturday, the Cincinnati Ambassadors play from 1 to 4 p.m.
On Sunday, Zach Olmos plays from 2 to 5 p.m.
They’ll also serve a Corned Beef Special, have Guinness on draft and lots of drink specials,
The Cincinnati Ambassadors celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at Napa Yard Oxbow Gardens
Napa Yard at Oxbow Gardens, 565 First St., Napa, www.napayard.com
Downtown Joe’s Irish weekend
Downtown Joe’s is Valley central for St. Patrick’s Day. They even celebrate it every month on the 17th.
And like Napa Yard, which is within stumbling distance, they celebrate it Saturday and Sunday.
Famed local Irish-ish band Sorry Lot plays at Downtown Joe’s on both Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
On Saturday, March 16, it’s an Irish music concert if you can call their rowdy but fun performances a concert.
Then on Sunday, March 17, the real St. Patrick’s Day, Downtown Joe’s serves Irish-inspired food, including a corned beef meal, shepherd’s pie, green beer, carbombs and Jello shots.
Both the Sorry Lot and a DJ will provide rousing and sentimental music.
Downtown Joe’s, 900 Main Sy., Napa
St. Patrick’s Dance Party with Blü Egyptian
Blü Egyptian leads a St. Patrick’s Dance Party at the Garden by Tannery Bend Beerworks on Saturday, March 16, at 9 p.m. Admission is $10.
The Garden, 1500 First St., Napa, 707-320-6372, www.tannerybendbeerworks.com
Kith & Kin at the White Barn in St. Helena
Kith & Kin comes back to the White Barn for an eve of St. Paddy’s Day celebration on Saturday, March 16, at 8 p.m.
Ticket cost $35 at www.thewhitebarn.org. White Barn, 2727 Sulphur Springs Ave., St. Helena, 707-987-8225
Sunday
St. Patrick's Day celebration at Wilfred’s Lounge
Wilfred’s Lounge celebrates St. Patrick's Day from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. honoring the many Irishmen who (literally) populated the South Seas.
Enjoy Guinness stew and Irish bangers island-style to eat plus the special cocktail Toucan Sham made with Teeling’s Small Batch Irish Whiskey, passion fruit, vanilla, pandan, coconut cream and lime.
Finish with Irish Coffee made with Teeling’s Small Batch Irish whiskey, coffee and coconut whipped cream.
Reservations are recommended for the dining room, while seating at the bar, main patio, and river-front deck is available for walk-ins.
Wilfred’s Lounge, 967 1st St., Napa, wilfredslounge.com, 707-690-9957
The Snakes return to Armistice Brewing Company
I won’t touch this one:
“They just keep slithering back, invading our damn pub like they own the place! But fear not, because like Saint Patrick we ain’t backing down. Join us for the wildest event of the year: Snakes in a Pub! That's right, it’s our annual St. Patrick's Day shindig, and we’ll be drowning in green beer, sipping on the finest Irish stout, and tossing around fake snakes like there’s no tomorrow.
“Sport your best green attire and enjoy discounted pints of beer ALL. DAY. LONG. And you know what tops it off? We’re screening the ultimate St. Patty’s Day flick: Snakes on a Plane! It’s an Irish classic, and we’re bringing it back with a vengeance.
“So don’t miss out! Swing through and let’s show these snakes who’s boss while we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day like never before!”
El Garage is in residence with their quesabirria tacos seven days a week.
Armistice Brewing Company, 1040 Clinton St., Napa, www.armisticebrewing.com/napa
St. Patrick’s Day at Goose & Gander in St. Helena
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, Sunday, March 17 at Goose & Gander in St. Helena from 4:30 to 10 p.m.
The King Street Giants will perform from 4 to 7 p.m. and festive drinks and Irish specialties will be served.
Goose & Gander, 1245 Spring St., St. Helena, goosegander.com, 707-967-8779, reservations@goosegander.com
St. Patrick’s Day in Calistoga
I’m not sure why, but Calistoga seems to pay more attention to St. Patrick’s Day than the other cities and town in the valley.
Here are four events noted there:
St. Patrick's Day dinner at OLPH church
The annual St. Patrick's Day Dinner at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Calistoga will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday March 17.
Put on by the parish men's club, the event will feature live music, a raffle and a silent auction.
Tickets are $40, $20 for children 12 years and younger. Buy tickets after mass on Saturdays and Sundays.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, 910 Washington St. Calistoga.
St. Paddy’s Day at Calistoga Inn
Lá féile Pádraig faoi mhaise (Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!)
Calistoga Inn holds its annual St. Patrick’s Day dinner celebration on Sunday, March 17, with 5:30 and 7 p.m. seatings.
Join a night of Irish cheer, delicious food, and live music by Kith and Kin.
Here’s the menu. The regular menu is also available.
Corned beef brisket simmered in Calistoga Red Ale served with Colcannon, roasted carrots and a bit o’green
Oatmeal Stout braised lamb stew - peas, roasted root vegetables, potatoes Colcannon and a bit o’green
Fish pie, roasted Skuna Bay salmon and halibut combined with chopped egg, carrots, English peas, braised leeks, mushrooms, kale, broccolini, asparagus, Cheddar and béchamel sauce - a bit o’green
Spring vegetable pie, available upon request
Irish soda bread
Calistoga porter cake with wild huckleberry-port sauce and vanilla Chantilly
The cost is $38 plus tax and something nice for the servers.
Beverages include special release Brewer Zambo’s Oatmeal Stout, the Irish Bug (Jameson, ginger beer, lime juice and lime garnish), $11, and Irish coffee.
Calistoga Inn, Restaurant & Brewery, 1250 Lincoln Ave., Calistoga, www.calistogainn.com, 707-942-4101
St. Patrick’s Day at O’Johnny’s
Johnny’s in Calistoga becomes O’Johnny’s Irish Pub on St. Patrick’s Day, Sunday, March 17, from 6 to 10 p.m. Enjoy food and drink specials with music by Dennis DeVilbiss
Johnny’s Restaurant and Bar, 1457 Lincoln Ave., Calistoga, www.johnnyscalistoga.com
St. Patrick's Day at Fleetwood
The Luck of the Irish has come to Fleetwood for St. Patrick's Day. Enjoy food and drink specials like corned beef served with red potatoes, red potatoes and Irish soda bread.
Fleetwood, 1880 Lincoln Ave, Calistoga, 707-709-4410
