St. Paddy's Day
A celebration of all things Irish
By Jared Curtis
It’s that time of year again when the streets are flooded with green shirts and green beer. That’s right, it’s March 17, which means it’s Saint Patrick’s Day, a holiday originally intended to celebrate the patron saint of Ireland. Saint Patrick was credited with bringing Christianity to the country and according to www.st-patricks-day.com, was described as a “most humble-minded man, pouring forth a continuous paean of thanks to his Maker for having chosen him as the instrument whereby multitudes who had worshipped idols and unclean things had become the people of God.” Even though St. Patrick’s Day has become a celebration of all things Irish — leprechauns, shamrocks, pots of gold and wearing green — there are people who celebrate the true meaning, a traditional day for spiritual renewal and offering prayers for missionaries worldwide.
The tradition is present, but the holiday has become one of the biggest one-day parties in the world. From Chicago dying its river green to thousands of partiers flocking to Ireland for the true experience, the day has become more of a party than a celebration of Saint Patrick. Locally, Des Moines has its annual parade put on by The Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick, which draws thousands of people to the downtown area. The parade features more than 80 floats and celebrates its 31st year next week. Along with the parade, there is an annual downtown block party, and a plethora of other downtown bars continue the celebration.
Readers have their favorite places to visit on St. Patrick’s Day. But if you’re not sure, we highlight three events — two of the biggest tent parties in town and an event like nothing else — happening March 17. Also included is a list of events in Des Moines. Just make sure to wear green, or you might be pinched.
Sullyís Irish Pub — a time honored tradition
The sun will have barely gone down the night before St. Patrick’s Day, but Jim and Mardeen Perin, owners of Sully’s Irish Pub, will be hard at work preparing their bar for its biggest day of the year.
“We have owned the bar for almost 17 years, but the tent party has been taking place since 1982,” Jim said. “It’s the oldest tent party in town, and we have to continue the tradition.”
Starting around January, the Perins begin planning permits with the city of West Des Moines and setting schedules with HY-Vee (catering) and Star 102.5 (music). The Perins say the tent party averages around 4,000 to 8,000 people.
“We’re really fortunate that we haven’t had any problems and have worked well together with the city,” Jim said. “We don’t charge cover, so it’s hard to put a number on attendance. I think the biggest crowd has been around 10,000 people.”
The night before the event, the bar is completely cleaned out of all tables, games and furniture. Then around 4:30 to 5 a.m. on St. Patrick’s Day, the Perins let the vendors set up and get ready to begin serving green eggs and ham (for $1.02) at 6 a.m.
“It’s really hectic,” Mardeen said. “We close everything down at midnight, clean the parking lot and get home around 2:30 a.m. Then we come back around 6 a.m. to start cleaning and getting everything in bar back to normal so we open at our regular hours.”
Cleaning up is a massive task, and the Perins estimate they pick up anywhere from 13,000 to 14,000 cups after the event is over. The bar enlists employees and volunteers to help ensure that the set-up, tent party and clean-up process run smoothly.
“We have people waiting for us to put up our volunteer sheet,” Mardeen said. “Seniority rules and we have had people volunteering here for the last 20 years.”
People attend annually, but better weather and certain days of the week help draw in the masses.
“Anytime from the middle of the week on brings people in. The best days have been on a Friday or Saturday night, but it always depends on the weather,” Jim said.
Sully’s has added a few new things to the tents, including an import beer station and an area for jagerbombs and Red Bull/vodka.
“It gets so crowded inside of the bar, we wanted to be easier for customers to grab drinks outside,” Jim said. “This is the third year we’ve had these extras, and they have been very successful.”
Although it only takes place once a year, the Perins have a “love-hate” relationship with the holiday.
“It’s a tremendous amount of work, but there is just as much tradition that goes along with it,” Jim said. “We have people from all over the U.S. that grew up here and come back for the party. We even had a couple get married here on St. Patrick’s Day.”
The tradition isn’t the only reason people come back to Sully’s to celebrate.
“St. Patrick’s Day is a traveling holiday. People like going to different places. And since we don’t have a cover, customers leave and come back throughout the day. Plus, we have free parking available at the Val Air Ballroom,” Jim said. “We have great music from 102.5 playing throughout the day, and Hy-Vee offers a wide variety of food.”
With so many parties across the metro, Sully’s tries to set themselves apart form the competition year after year.
“Customers love the fact that they don’t have to pay a cover. They can be inside or outside, and all the food and drinks they need are in one location,” Jim said. “We have the best tent party, not only in Des Moines, but the entire state.”
Mickeyís Irish Pub — the party on 86th Street
There are numerous tent parties spread throughout town on St. Patrick’s Day, and choosing your favorite place to go can be tough. But for a number of people, there isn’t another tent party in the metro like the one at Mickey’s Irish Pub.
“This’ll be my fourth St. Patrick’s Day, but the bar has hosted them since 1997,” said co-owner Shawn Allan. “It’s the biggest day of the year for us and arguably the biggest bar holiday of the year. It’s a lot of work, but there is a lot of reward.”
The bar sets up a massive 6,000-square-foot heated tent outside only hours before the celebration kicks off.
“There are only a few Irish bars in town that offer the big tents,” Allan said. “It brings a lot of business to the neighborhood and is a good day for everybody.”
It takes plenty of planning to set up a party of this magnitude, and Allan starts thinking about next year’s party as soon as this year’s wraps up.
“You take mental notes about what works and what doesn’t,” Allan said. “We usually start looking for vendors around November. We found out there is a high level of stress involved, and you can’t wait until the last minute for anything.”
Allan and crew get to work the night before the big day arrives.
“We start setting everything up around midnight,” he said. “It’s more than a 24-hour shift. We’ll come back early Thursday morning and tear down everything and clean up by 1 p.m., so we can open the bar for its regular hours.”
The party starts at 6 a.m. with green eggs and ham. Surprisingly, the crowd is filled with early risers.
“You have people that want to start drinking for the day, but then you also have people who have to go to work, so they stop by early, get some breakfast and a green beer and then head on their way.”
As with any celebration, the time the event takes place and the weather can make or break attendance.
“No matter the day of the week, people always find their time to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day,” Allan said. “But we definitely have a better turnout when it happens mid to late week,”
Along with green beer and good times, Mickey’s also adds live music to its party — found both inside the bar and outside in the tent.
“We have two bands, 17 Candle and Toaster, who will play from around 4:30 to 10 p.m. We also have acoustic music inside from 3 to 8 p.m., and then we bring a DJ in after that. We offer as much live entertainment as any other partying town.”
As the day rolls on, Allan and his employees look to see how everything is going and what needs to be improved or changed.
“We’re always looking to add something different to freshen things up,” he said. “We learn from our mistakes. But this is our fourth one, so I think we have it down now.”
When asked if they would ever stop throwing the party, Allan laughs.
“I don’t see any reason to stop. We have had zero problems, and we have a great partnership with the city of Clive,” Allan said. “It’s a lot of work, but in the end, it’s all worth it.”
The Pretty Things Peepshow — a sexy and wild St. Patrickís Day celebration
The majority of our readers will head out to their favorite bar, tent party or the annual Sons of Saint Patrick parade on Wednesday. But if you’re looking to do something different than drink green beer, The Pretty Things Peepshow may be for you. The show — a mixture of vintage burlesque dancing and sideshow acts — returns to the Vaudeville Mews after its performance captivated audiences last year.
“We had never performed in Des Moines before and the show was on a weekday, so we weren’t sure what type of response we would have,” said go-go Amy, a burlesque dancer, contortionist and the show’s producer. “We were excited about how many people showed up. The ladies were dressed cute, and the crowd made an effort to make the show a special event. It was nice and a pleasant surprise.”
The traveling burlesque road show tours 10 months a year and has a separate summer and winter cast.
“We have different casts because we don’t want the performers to get burned out,” Amy said. “Plus, I have to share my performers with other shows.”
Returning for the special St. Patrick’s Day show are go-go Amy and Bettina May. Both Amy and May will heat up the stage with their sultry and stylish burlesque performances. New this time around will be Miss Heather Holiday, a sideshow sweetheart who swallows swords, eats fire and glass, cracks the whips and more. Host and performer Donny Vomit, “The Dapper Dan of Danger,” will perform a wide array of sideshow acts.
“Donny and Heather are from the Coney Island Circus Sideshow,” Amy said. “This time we have less performers, but we have more acts. The show has some more comedic elements and a lot more audience participation.”
Amy knew that when her group returned to Des Moines, they needed to bring their A-game with them.
“Currently we’re on a 42-city tour, but when we line up the dates we try to do holiday shows at venues we really love,” Amy said. “We wanted to do something bigger and better when we came back. We have some special surprises lined up that will only be happening that night and not at any other shows.”
Although the show will be special, the group will keep the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day alive.
“We’re working on green pasties for the show,” Amy said. “Our show will offer more than just green beer — we’ve got new dance numbers and plenty of entertainment.”
So no matter what your St. Patrick’s Day plans are, be prepared for a fun-filled night of entertainment you won’t be able to experiance any other time of the year.
“Everyone’s boss knows you’ll be hung over the next day, so why not come out and have some fun with us?” Amy asked. “If you saw the last show and enjoyed it, you’ll see a completely different show this time around with brand new acts.” CV
A sampling of St. Paddyís Day Specials
Beechwood Lounge
Free breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. $3 green beers. 416 E. Walnut St. 288-2337.
Bennigan’s
The tent party runs from 3 to 7 p.m. with a live broadcast from 100.3 The Bus. Live music from the El Dorados. Free green beer while it lasts and a corned beef and cabbage special. They are also launching a number of new menu items. Cover ($5) starts at 7 p.m. with Flipside performing live from 8 to 11 p.m. 1810 Army Post Road. 309-3111.
The Blazing Saddle
Celebrate St. patrick’s Day early on Sunday, March 14, with drink specials, beer bust, drag show and Mongo’s famous corned beef and cabbage. Doors open at noon. 416 E. 5th St. 246-1299.
Boston’s
$2 domestic’s, $5 Long Island Ice Teas and $2 wells. 12401 University Ave. 440-6051.
Cabaret West Glen
Open at noon with a free keg of green beer (until gone), $3 Bud/Bud light 16 oz. aluminum bottles, $3 feckin drinks, $5 Irish Car Bombs, $3 green shots, Irish bar games and prizes for the best leprechaun. 560. S. Prairie View Drive, West Des Moines. 225-1105.
Cattoors on Grand
$2 Svedka drinks, $4 Redbull/Vodka and $5 pitchers. 1306 Grand Ave., West Des Moines. 267-8973.
Chicken Coop Sports Bar & Grill
Happy Hour all day along with $3 Guinness bottles, $6.50 pitchers, $2.25 domestic drafts and $2.50 wells. 1960 Grand Ave., Ste. 23, West Des Moines. 223-0088.
Flanagan’s Restaurant and Lounge
The tent party starts with breakfast, green eggs and ham, from 6 to 11 a.m. At 11 a.m. corn beef and cabbage as well as barbecue pork sandwiches will be available. 16-ounce green beers are $4 before 6 p.m. and $5 after. Live music in the tent at night. No cover. 2120 Ingersoll Ave. 243-3333.
4th Down Sports Bar
The first 300 people who buy a $10 4th Down T-shirt on Saturday, March 13, will drink for free that night. If you return to 4th Down on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, wearing the shirt, you’ll also drink free that day. Also, enjoy $4 Rueben baskets from 3 to 10 p.m. 207 Fourth St. (lower level). 288-3880.
The Game
Free Irish Stew, $2 Pints of Green Beer, $2 Shamrock Shots, $3 Bottles of Guinness, $4 Irish Car bombs, $12 buckets of domestic bottles. 3719 86th St. 278-1686.
The Garden
$4 Irish Car Bombs, $3 Guinness Bottles, with all other drinks half off. 112 S.E. 4th St. 243-3965.
Heroes
Open at 10 a.m. with $2 green Pabst Blue Ribbon, $3 green domestic draws, two live bands throughout the day and a DJ at night. No cover. 216 Court Ave. 288-9432.
The Lagniappe
All purchases are 17 percent off. Drink specials at coffee/wine bar. 112 5th St., West Des Moines. 277-0047.
Liars Club
Fourth Annual St. Patty’s Day Block Party starts at noon. $20 all-you-can-drink. Live music from Chester French, DJ White Shadow and De’Mar Hamilton (Plain White T’s), among other acts. 216 Court Ave. 237-5427.
The Lime Lounge
Open at noon with drink specials including $1 green beer, $2 green wells and $5 green-tinis. DJs start at 5 p.m. and prizes will be given away for the best green outfit. 2706 Ingersoll Ave. 333-4643.
Limey’s Pub
Breakfast at 9 a.m., corn beef and cabbage, Irish stew, $3 Killian’s, $10 Pot of Gold pitchers, Irish Car Bombs and shamrock martinis. 1970 Grand Ave., Ste. 29, West Des Moines. 222-0476.
Mannings
Pour House
Party starts at 11 a.m. with $2 bottles, $2 draws of green beer and $5 pitchers. 2012 Indianola Ave. 288-0030.
Mickey Finn’s
Open at 8 a.m. with $3 20-oz. domestic draws, $4 20-oz. Guinness draws, $6 domestic pitchers and $3 bottles. 7020 Douglas Ave., Ste. A. 270-8738.
Mickey’s Irish Pub, Clive
Open at 6 a.m. with breakfast. Bands start at 3 p.m. in the tent and 4:30 p.m. inside. Lots of drink specials including green beer, Irish Car Bombs, green Jell-O shots, Leprechaun Bombs and giveaways. 1800 N.W. 86th St., Ste. 33, Clive. 252-0248.
Mickey’s Irish Pub, Waukee
All beer, wells and calls are $4, $5 specialty shots and $6 bombs. 50 S.E. Laurel St., Waukee. 987-9604.
The Ridgemont
Free pizza from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., $10 bottomless glass from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Two-for-ones from 4 to 6 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to close enjoy $2 Svedka drinks, $4 Vodka Redblls, $5 pitchers and live music from Dustin Baird. 7460 Hickman Road, Windsor Heights. 276-0129.
Royal Mile
Open at 9 a.m. with green eggs and ham specials until 11 a.m. The kitchen opens at 11 a.m. with Corn Beef and Cabbage specials. Drink specials include $3.50 pints of Guinness, Harp’s and Smittick’s, as well as $3 green Shenanigan shots all day. From noon to 1 p.m. enjoy $2 Harp’s and bagpipers and drummers. 210 Fourth St. 280-3771.
Shorty’s
Open at 10 a.m. for the Grand Opening celebration. Traditional Irish inspired cuisine and a wide variety of Irish beers and whiskey. Iowa Scottish Pipes and Drums begin at 1 p.m. 208 Court Ave. 282-3663.
Sully’s Irish Pub
The celebration starts at 6 a.m. with green eggs and ham for $1.02. Hy-Vee will be grilling and Star 102.5 will be broadcasting from the event. Drink specials throughout the day including $4 green beer. Free parking at the Val Air Ballroom. 110 Grand Ave., West Des Moines. 255-9970.
Surf Shack
Save the Green party with no cover, $2 wells and draws of anything. 319 Court Ave. 244-5840.
Trophy’s Sports Bar & Grill
“Less Green for Green” weeklong celebration. Wednesday, March 10, ’70s & ’80s Night, dance and drink prices of that era. Thursday, March 11, Captain, Jack and Sailor Jerry Night with a DJ and karaoke. Friday, March 12, $4 Bombs and karaoke. Saturday, March 13, $10.99 half rack of ribs and karaoke. Sunday, March 14, NCAA Basketball tournament selection party starting at 4:30 p.m. Monday, March 15, DJ, karaoke and a Rock, Paper, Scissors contest. Tuesday, March 16, all-you-can-eat wings at 6 p.m., with a DJ and karaoke to follow at 9 p.m. Wednesday March 17, St. Patrick’s Day celebration starts at 11 a.m. with events and contests each hour. Green eggs and ham ($4.95) will be served until 2 p.m, and corned beef and cabbage will be served all day. Specials include $2.50 Irish coffee (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.), $5 Irish Car Bombs, $2.50 Green Beer, $3 bottles of Guinness, $3.25 Rolling Rock and $4.50 Jager Bombs. Rick Ludwig’s one-man show from 8 to 10 p.m. and karaoke at 10 p.m. 2701 Douglas Ave., 255-1111.
Twisted Parrot
The St. Patrick’s Day celebration starts on Friday, March 12, with a Tent Party starting at 7 p.m. with $2 pints and live music from D.D.E.P. On Saturday, March 13, the Tent Party starts at 7 p.m. with live music from Bob Dorr and the Blue Band and $3 Guinness and green Bud Light. On Sunday, March 14 and Monday, March 15, wear any annual Twisted O’Parrot T-Shirt and your first drink is free. Also enjoy $2 pints of green beers all night. On Tuesday, March 16, enjoy $3 aluminum bottles. On St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, enjoy beer and breakfast starting at 6 a.m. (breakfast benefits The Iron Warriors Police and Firefighters Welfare Fund). The tent opens at noon and $20 gets you penny pints until midnight. 6500 Hickman Road, Windsor Heights. 309-0580.
Vaudeville Mews
Enjoy the burlesque and sideshow talents of The Pretty Things Peepshow. Doors open at 8 p.m., tickets are $10. 212 4th St.
Zimm’s
Stop in for green beer, $2 green Long Island Ice Teas and Happy Hour from 4 to 6:30 p.m. The kitchen will be serving their full menu with corn beef quesadilla specials. Any college student with a valid student I.D. will receive a $1 off everything. 3124 Ingersoll Ave. 277-9929. CV
Caption: Outside the tent at Sully’s Irish Pub. Special to Cityview
Caption: TOP: Mickey’s Irish Pub is jam-packed with patrons celebrating St. Patrick’s Day.
INSET: Green Jell-o shots are plentiful on March 17. Courtesy of A.West Photography
Caption: What better way to spend St. Patrick’s Day than with some sexy ladies who perform burlesque, swallow swords and eat fire? Courtesy of The Pretty Things Peep Show
