A Twist on St. Patty’s Day Events

by | Mar 13, 2017 | design, event planning

Our friends at the Prevention Coalition wanted us to get the word out about other fun options for St. Patrick’s Day. No matter your choice, please be safe and make wonderful memories!

Enjoying St. Patrick’s Day in Different Ways

Contrary to popular belief, not everyone wants to spend St. Patrick’s Day chugging booze ‘til they drop. Some people may be faced with overcoming addiction, while others have small children and would rather spend the day doing family-oriented activities. Even though it may seem like celebrating the Irish holiday without liquor is impossible, it can be done! Here are a few ways you can celebrate St. Patrick’s Day minus the alcohol –and potential hangover!

Patrick’s Day Events

Sober St. Patrick’s Day is a non-profit organization that was founded by award-winning theatre producer WIlliam Spencer Reilly, after he almost lost a family member to addiction in 2004. This family-friendly event comprises of acts from world class musicians, singers and dancers who all gather to celebrate Irish culture. Each year Sober St. Patrick’s Day is held on parade day in New York City, though it is growing vastly across the world. Philadelphia, Richmond, VA and even Dublin have all joined in on the fun by hosting Sober St. Patrick’s Day events. If you live in a city that has not yet caught onto this rapidly growing trend, fret not! You can be the one to organize your city’s very first Sober St. Patrick’s Day event! For a nominal licensing fee you will receive permission to use the Sober St. Patrick’s Day name and you will be provided support to plan, market and fund the event! Why not take part in a new St. Patrick’s Day tradition that will provide a fun, healthy and safe environment for everyone involved?

Plan an Irish-themed dinner party

Nothing honors the tradition of the Irish more than a good, home-cooked meal. When it comes to traditional Irish food, many people confuse it with Irish-American dishes i.e. corned beef and cabbage. Get into the true spirit of the holiday by researching food that those native to Ireland actually enjoy indulging in and learn how to prepare it! A quick online search will steer you in the right direction for any recipes you may need. Dishes like lamb stew (Irish stew) and soda bread are a few old-fashioned favorites for the Irish. Allow yourself plenty of time to plan for your dinner party, and be sure to do a test run on all the foods you will be serving. You will thank yourself for this step should any dishes not turn out as planned! Make your home festive by decorating with a few St. Patrick’s Day-themed pieces. After dinner, get the kids and adults together to participate in a few Irish games! The best thing about hosting a dinner party in lieu of St. Patrick’s Day is that it can easily become a family tradition. Each year have the party at your home or assign a different friend or family member to host at their place.

Be of service

Even though you are opting to not spend your St. Patrick’s Day drinking, chances are you have a few friends that are looking forward to having an all day boozefest. Assure that your friends are drinking responsibly by offering to be their designated driver. By serving as a safe ride you will be given peace of mind knowing that your loved ones are out of harm’s way and in return, they will be grateful that you are concerned about their safety. Signing yourself up to be the designated driver for your friends is a very noble deed that is an extremely selfless way to spend St. Patrick’s Day.

In the past, you may have felt excluded in the St. Patrick’s Day festivities because of your choice to stay sober. Fortunately, you can start new traditions that are true to your values and begin to enjoy the day just as much as others!

Article written by Sarah Lockwood

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