A Complete Guide to Avoiding Amateur Hour This St. Patrick’s Day

Even for those who like to go out and party, St. Patrick’s Day, with all of its green-beer-fueled debauchery, can be a bit… much. For those looking to celebrate the day (hey, it’s on a Saturday!) without the over-the-top festivities that tend to accompany it, here’s a list of a few places around the Twin Cities to experience the holiday and have a little fun without feeling like the entire metro has become a fraternity house.

The Irish Music & Dance Association St. Patrick’s Day Irish Celebration

Culture junkies, this one’s for you. The event features (can you believe it?) dance-based Irish entertainment including pipe bands alongside Celtic vendors and Irish cuisine. There are plenty of kid-focused crafts to be had too, so don’t feel like the little ones have to stay at home.

Lucy Hawthorne/Eater Twin Cities

The Hewing

In the hotel’s Library Lobby patrons will find a Battle of the Beers taking place this year. Participants include Indeed, Flat Earth, Able, Inbound, and Bauhaus. Everyone (of legal drinking age) gets to try all the beer for free and vote for the best at the end. There are also St. Patrick’s Day Small Plates available as well to curb hunger.

Pyscho Suzi’s/Facebook

Psycho Suzi’s

A tiki-themed version of St. Patrick’s Day awaits at this Northeast outpost. Come for brunch and take advantage of the build a green Bloody Mary bar or stop by at night and find out what their special Four Leaf Clover drink entails. Bonus: Anyone whose name is “Patrick, Patricia, Pat, Patty, or O’Something” gets half off their drink as long as they have photo I.D. to prove it.

801 Marquette Atrium

Just not into drinking at all, regardless of the color of the beer? Spend the day decorating cookies instead. Come on down to Marquette Ave and get crafty with it. Cookies and decorating supplies are provided, but please RSVP in order to ensure there’s enough for everyone.

Lucky’s St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl

Rather than spending the entire day stuffed into a corner of a jam-packed Irish bar, spend it mostly traveling between regular ol’ bars instead. Participants get three free drinks throughout—one from Brother’s, one for Bar Louie, and one from the Pourhouse. There’s also free bus transportation available as well, so no need to take any risks on the roads.

Brother Justus/Website

Blessing of the Still at Brother Justus Whiskey

Sure there’s plenty of beer, but isn’t the preferred drink for celebrating all things Irish really whiskey? An actual monk will be on hand from the Brother Justus’ monastery to bless the still at this Northeast Minneapolis distillery on Saturday from 4:30. The distillery is named for a Minnesotan Benedictine blacksmith monk, who built and gave away pure copper whiskey stills to Minnesota farmers during Prohibition. A true hero if there ever was one.

Sidney Schultz/Soul Bowl Facebook page

Soul Bowl Kickstarter Launch

Skip all the Irish hootenannies all together and go support a start up business determined to bring soul food for a new era to Minneapolis. Chef Gerard Klass has been hosted popular pop ups for Soul Bowl and now is the time to kick the fundraising into gear in the hopes of opening a brick and mortar restaurant. The event will be held at Sunnyside Cafe at 1825 Glenwood in Minneapolis on Saturday and Sunday this weekend.