St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner and most people like to go out and celebrate the feast day of St. Patrick of Ireland. There are many ways to celebrate this day for both people of age and younger kids in the greater Puyallup area. Even though many people look forward to this day for different reasons either for ancestral or celebratory motives, few people know the background about the day itself. Every March 17th, the Irish and those who feel Irish at heart around the globe celebrate the day that began as a religious feast for the patron saint of Ireland. Patrick was a 5th century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland and although little known about the man himself, he became a driving force behind converting the pagan Irish to Christianity. He spent many years roaming Ireland converting thousands of Pagans or driving off those that wouldn’t convert. The allegory “driving out the snakes from Ireland” comes from Patrick driving out those that did not want to convert to Christianity. The tradition of celebrating on the 17th comes from the belief that Patrick died on the 17th of March. The wearing of green for the holiday is said to come from Patrick using the three-leaf clover to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish. So with the history in mind, where do people in Puyallup go to celebrate the holiday? Here are the following hotspots in the city for people of all ages to be able to celebrate the fun and historical holiday.
For those revelers who are of age, the best place to celebrate is at your local Irish Bar. Puyallup is home to the TK Irish Pub and Eatery. Located downtown on Meridian in Puyallup, TK’s Irish Pub not only has a full menu but they also have a late night menu. This year for St. Patrick’s Day, TK Irish Pub will be celebrating the holiday for three days straight. Starting on Thursday, March 17th and continuing on Friday and Saturday, TK’s Irish Pub will have live music, a beer garden, food and drink specials and swag giveaways. There is a $5.00 cover for everyone 21 and over and they do offer a VIP bracelet for $25.00 that includes free cover, your first beer, skip waiting in line, and 10% off your bill for the rest of the year. Head down to TK’s Irish Pub for those 3 days for a rocking St. Patrick’s Day party.
If you are looking to be a little more healthy or active on St. Patrick’s Day, head a little bit out of Puyallup to Tacoma for the St. Paddy’s Day Run. There will be a 5k, 10k, a half-marathon, and a kids 1k on Saturday, March 12th. Packet pick-up and gear check is from 7am until 8:30am and the half marathon starts at 8:10am, the 10k starts at 8:40am and the 5k starts at 9:00am. Walkers and runners are welcome in the 5k. The kids race started at 11:00am. The Forum will open at 7:30am with Bud Light specials for those who are 21 years and older. You can register for this race at http://www.databarevents.com/stpaddysdayruntacoma.
On March 24th, the Annual Celtic Faire will be held in downtown Puyallup on Main Street. The cost is free and the event is for all ages. The Faire will feature a pet parade, musical performances, the “Great Kilt” demonstration, and the Clan Uprising. The Clan Uprising will feature members of several Scottish clans stationed around the faire to tell stories and provide history about their heritage. The Puget Sound Welsh Society will also be present at the faire. The Celtic Dog Parade will take place at 12pm that will feature many of the Celtic dog breeds like the Irish Wolfhounds, the Scottish Terriers, and many more. Bring your pups to downtown Puyallup to enjoy the Pet Parade. The well-known Scottish entertainer Red McWilliams will provide musical entertainment at the faire. He will be preforming inside Charlie’s Restaurant throughout the day. For all those who are curious about the tradition of dress of Scottish Highlanders, “The Great Kilt” demonstration by Cathy McWilliams will educate the audience on the history of dress while audience members assist Cathy in the traditional way of dress.
Looking for something not related to St. Patrick’s Day? The weekend before St. Patrick’s Day, on March 12th and the 13th, the Washington State Fairground EXPO building is hosting the Crossroads Doll and Teddy Bear Show. The sales floor will be filled with dealers that are selling fine antiques, dolls, teddy bears, miniatures, supplies, furniture and accessories. Curious to know what those antique or vintage dolls and teddy bears are worth? Make sure to bring in your own dolls and teddy bears for appraisal. Marshall Martin from Antiques Roadshow will be on hand to appraise dolls and John Port, the world-renowned teddy bear expert, will be available to appraise teddy bears.
Whether you want go all out for St. Patrick’s Day or want something low key, the greater Puyallup area has a lot to offer. From pubs to a doll and teddy bear show, there are many reasons to head out to celebrate this fun and festive holiday. The city of Puyallup and the outlying cities offer a lot of fun of activities for all ages. Regardless of how you want to celebrate your St. Patrick’s Day, we would love to hear about it! Tweet us at https://twitter.com/puyallupcom and let us know how you like celebrate the holiday!