Irish Heritage – Salem Happenings

South Boston Saint Patrick’s Day Parade

Saint Patrick’s Day may have been yesterday, but if you were one of the unlucky souls that got stuck working late, don’t worry. The luck of the Irish may still be with you. In fact, it just so happens that the South Boston Saint Patrick’s Day parade is scheduled to take place this Sunday (March 20, 2016) at 1:00 P.M. As a result, if you’re looking for a way to celebrate the holiday a little late, heading to South Boston could definitely be a good call.

The parade, which will start at the Broadway T station on West Broadway and head east until it loops around to end on Dorchester Street right next to Dorchester Avenue and the Andrew T stop, will feature just about everything, including bagpipes, duck boats, drums, minutemen, Stormtroopers, and a whole lot more. Best of all, the event is completely free (unless your kids talk you into buying them all of that magnificent green swag.) For more information on the South Boston Saint Patrick’s Day parade, please visit the South Boston Parade website.

Photo credit: Bryan Maleszyk via Visual Hunt / CC BY

Finding the Luck of the Irish

There’s really no doubt that it’s been a tough winter, and if you’re like most people, you probably would like spring to get here a little faster and put an end to all of this frozen water. In fact, if you fell on the ice skating rink that was once your driveway, you lost all four of your car’s tires in the world’s largest pothole, lost all ten of your fingers to frostbite while you were shoveling snow with a wind chill of 30 below, or your roof just caved in from the weight of the melting ice and snow, you may be in need of some luck. Fortunately, Saint Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, and all of the festivities and hopefully some of that luck that you’re looking for, can actually be found this weekend.

First, if you’ve always loved a good parade and/or you’re looking for a way to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day with a huge crowd of people, there’s no better place to be than South Boston this weekend. This is because the South Boston Saint Patrick’s Day Parade, which starts on West Broadway Street near the Broadway T stop and ends on East Broadway Street near Farragut Road, is scheduled to begin at 1:00 P.M. on Sunday (March 15, 2015.) This parade will allow you and family, friends, and/or acquaintances to listen to Irish music and marching bands, see everything from professional athletes to stormtroopers, and maybe even get some cool Saint Patrick’s Day swag. For more information on the South Boston Saint Patrick’s Day Parade, please visit the Official South Boston Parade website.

Secondly, if you’re not really a big fan of parades or you just prefer animals to humans, you may want to check out the Franklin Park Zoo or the Stone Zoo this weekend. This is because the Franklin Park Zoo and the Stone Zoo are hosting their annual Saint Patrick’s Day Animal Enrichment Celebration from 10:00 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. at the Franklin the Park Zoo and 11:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. at the Stone Zoo on Sunday (March 15, 2015.) This celebration will let you see a bunch of the animals playing with special green-themed toys and/or eating special green food in honor of Saint Patrick’s Day. For more information on the Saint Patrick’s Day Celebration at the Franklin Park Zoo and the Stone Zoo, please visit the Zoo New England website.

Photo credit: bongo vongo / Foter / CC BY-SA

A Family Friendly Saint Patrick’s Day

Saint Patrick’s Day has always been a time for those of Irish descent to celebrate their heritage. However, like most celebrations, there’s always a few people that tend to overdo things and take the festivities to a whole new level. In fact, you would be hard pressed to find a year that doesn’t have some headline, rumor, or story about a group of people who delved into their green drinks a little too quickly and found themselves in far more trouble than they had ever expected. As a result, locating a family-friendly way to celebrate the holiday without the mischief can be a little more difficult than it should be. Fortunately, if you are looking for a way to enjoy Saint Patrick’s Day with your family, there are a number of family-friendly events this weekend.

First, if you’re looking for a way for your children to learn more about their Irish heritage or you’re just looking for a party without the alcohol, you may want to check out Old Sturbridge Village. Old Sturbridge Village is hosting a “Celtic Celebration” this Saturday and Sunday (March 15th and 16th) from 9:30 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. This old-fashioned Irish party will allow you and your family to enjoy traditional Irish dancing, food, music, and stories while you learn all about the Irish immigrants that made their way to the United States during the 1800’s. Best of all, Old Sturbridge Village has a special deal right now that children under the age of 17 can get in free as long as they are with an adult that is paying the normal admission price. This means that getting in may be a whole lot cheaper than it normally would be. For more information on the Celtic Celebration at Old Sturbridge Village, please visit the Old Sturbridge Village website.

Secondly, if you’re not Irish or you’re really just looking for something to keep your kids busy for a couple of hours, Wit and Whimsy may have exactly what you’re looking for. Wit and Whimsy, which is a children’s bookstore located in Marblehead, MA, is hosting a Cinderella Storytime with the Boston Ballet from 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. today (March 14, 2014.) This event will allow your children to hear the story of Cinderella told by some of the Boston Ballet dancers who are actually performing the ballet-version of Cinderella at the Boston Opera House. In fact, these ballet dancers will not just read the story, but will also teach your children some of the dance steps from the actual ballet. For more information on the Cinderella Storytime with the Boston Ballet, please visit the Wit and Whimsy Event page.

Finally, if the Cinderella Storytime sounds awesome, but you just can’t make it today, you may want to head over to the Gloucester Lyceum and Sawyer Free Library next Friday (March 21, 2014.) This is because the Gloucester Lyceum and Sawyer Free Library, which is also known as the Gloucester Public Library, is hosting Cinderella Storytime with the Boston Ballet from 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. For more information and/or to reserve a spot, please visit the Gloucester Lyceum and Sawyer Free Library’s Event Calendar.

Photo credit: Bryan Maleszyk / Foter / CC BY