Palatine ready to 'Paint the Town Green'

Palatine's "Paint the Town Green" celebration on Saturday, March 15, is more than just a parade, it's a festival for everything Irish with food, drink, entertainment and shopping all throughout the town.

Durty Nellie's will offer an Irish breakfast menu from 8 to 10 a.m. and continue with Irish food and drink specials, as well as music throughout the day. Their tentative schedule starts at 12:30 p.m. with the Midlothian Bag Pipe Band and 1:30-3 p.m. with Kevin Flynn & The Avondale Ramblers, followed by the Trinity Irish Dancers from 3:30-4:15 p.m.

Logical Fleadh takes the stage from 4:30-6 p.m. and The Fisticuffs play from 6:30-7:30 p.m. The final performances of the evening run 9:30 to 11:30 p.m. with Rodd Tuffcurls & The Bench Press, followed by Modern Day Romeos from midnight to 2 a.m.

Emmett's Ale House will be serving Kegs N Eggs from 9-11:30 a.m., as well as traditional Irish foods throughout the day. After the parade at 1 p.m., Emmett's will conduct a firkin tapping ceremony of Emmett's Rafferty Red beer, where a spigot is driven into a small wooden keg with a wooden mallet. Mayor Jim Schwantz will officiate at the tapping.

Following the tapping, the Palatine Township Republican Organization will hold a meet and greet. Entertainment continues from 4-6 p.m. with a bagpipes performance in the main bar.

"We will be giving the community a taste of Ireland at our Irish Market," said event coordinator Liz Noe of ElizEvents. "From 8 a.m. until 1 p.m., the tent in Durty Nellie's parking lot will become a little piece of Ireland and provide tasty treats and shopping opportunities."

For shopping and entertainment, "Paint the Town Green's" Irish Market will feature 16 vendors selling foods, treats, jewelry, Irish trinkets and more. Some of the vendors include Bonker's Gifts, Cristal Me, Cookie Cards and Bead World.

The Irish Market will also provide musical entertainment. In addition to Irish favorites, there will also be a variety of music throughout the day with Merv Collins and his instrumental guitar music from 8-10 a.m. and Guyz with Bad Eyez performing a variety of music on their guitars from 10:30-11:45 a.m.

According to Guyz with Bad Eyez, "We do a lot of Gordon Lightfoot and John Prine tunes. We also mix in some old standards too… like Deep River Blues, The Glory of Love and others."

The final performance at the Irish Market will feature the Irish music of Dr. Gerry Alyward and Cuchulain from noon to 1 p.m.

The parade, which begins at 11 a.m., will feature 50 entries, including Grand Marshals Lucky McClover and Katie M'Lady. Irish music will be provided by the Midlothian Scottish Bag Pipe Band. The Trinity Irish Dancers, The Lucky Little Leprechauns of Dorset Avenue and The Palatine Paddy Wagons will also add to the entertainment.

The parade will serve to collect donations for Journeys the Road Home, an organization serving the homeless and near-homeless in the North and Northwest suburbs. During the parade, marchers with shopping carts will collect food, clothing and disposable paper products for the organization.

The parade begins at the corner of Wood and Oak streets in downtown Palatine and continues west to Brockway and south to Wilson.

"Entertainment is being planned at a number of local businesses, bars and restaurants throughout the day," said Noe. "A full schedule of events is available on our website at www.stpatspalatine.com. This festival is going to be a full day of fun for the whole family."

The "Paint the Town Green" event continues to enhance Palatine's position as a destination town for public festivals. The premier sponsor and presenter of the festival is Durty Nellie's. The media sponsor is the Daily Herald Media Group. Other sponsors include Lavelle Law, Lake Shore Beverage, Emmett's Brewing Company, Law Office of Mark J. Matychowicz and Chicagoland 4 Braces, Dr. Gerry Aylward Orthodontics. Assistance has also been provided by Borne2Dance and Bauer's Brauhaus.

For more information on the St. Patrick's Day celebration, visit www.stpatspalatine.com or email info@stpatspalatine.com.

• Submit Your news at dailyherald.com/share.