Lucas: Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day — from Hilton Head to Savannah

Looking to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day but aren’t exactly sure which event is right for you or your family?

Fortunately, several local events starting this weekend — including Savannah’s festivities just down the road — should give you plenty to choose from.

33rd Annual Hilton Head Island St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Asked to finish the following sentence, “It may not be the biggest, but…” volunteer coordinator and planning committee secretary, Bill Harper said, “It’s the most family-friendly.”

In fact, the annual Hilton Head Island St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which can attract upwards of 25,000 people — or more than half the island’s population — offers a variety of sideline activities for families on the front lawns of various churches and organizations along the parade route.

The actual parade kicks off at 3 p.m. Sunday and features marching bands, pipe and drum outfits and of course lots of floats.

“It’s a great way to come out and have fun and be safe while showing support for local businesses,” Harper said.

And, while he wouldn’t say what some of the “surprise attractions” would be, previous years have included the Budweiser Clydesdales and military jet flyovers.

“You’ll just have to come see,” Harper said.

The parade travels along Pope Avenue between the Coligny Beach parking lot and Sea Pines traffic circle and ends on Office Park Drive. Spectators should allow about two and half to three hours.

For details visit www.hiltonheadireland.org.

Mary Green Men’s Chorale

If you get a little chill when you hear “The Pipes are Calling” you may want to check out an upcoming concert by the Mary Green Men’s Chorale.

In addition to “Pipes,” the concert will include a number of selections as part of the group’s Celtic music program at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, the night before St. Patrick’s Day, at St. Francis by the Sea Catholic Church, 45 Beach City Rd, Hilton Head.

The program also will feature pipes, drums, fiddlers and dancers and is a benefit for the Hilton Head Regional Habitat for Humanity.

Open seating tickets are $25 and can be purchased online or by phone.

For details call 843-757-5864 or visit www.habitathhi.org/events.

Hilton Head Shamrock 5K Run and Walk

For those who’d rather go for a run before their beer, the 21st Annual Hilton Head Shamrock 5K and Fun Walk offers a chance to do so.

The event kicks off at 8 a.m. Saturday, at New York City Pizza, 81 Pope Ave., Hilton Head.

Registration is $35 and includes day of the event. For details call 843-757-8520 or visit www.bearfootsports.com.

St. Patrick’s 5K Run at MCAS Beaufort

Runners can also take advantage of a 5K at the Marine Corps Air Station in Beaufort.

The run kicks off at 7:30 a.m. March 18, at Afterburners at the air station.

Pre-registration is required. On-site registrations will not be accepted.

Registration is $15 with discounts for active duty military and family members. The deadline to register is Wednesday March 16, at the Fitness Centers.

Forms available online at www.mccs-sc.com/rec-fit/flyers/stpatdayrun_03_2016.pdf.

For details call (843) 228-7747.

IrishFest at Wild Wing Cafe

If taking in a band or two is more your thing, you may want to stop by Wild Wing Cafe.

IrishFest will start at 11 a.m. with live music from 1-10 p.m., or throughout the day, Sunday, at the restaurant at 72 Pope Ave, Hilton Head.

Music will include such bands as Ellen Drive and Groove Town Assault.

The festivities also will include drink specials, prizes and a chance to enter a drawing to win $10,000.

Bluffton’s 2nd Annual Clydesdale Parade

It may not be Irish-themed, but if you’re in Bluffton and looking for a warm-up, the town’s Clydesdale parade is just two days before St. Patrick’s Day.

The second annual parade will start at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, on Calhoun Street and will travel through the Promenade, in Bluffton.

The parade will feature a team of eight Budweiser Clydesdales, which will stop at area bars to drop off freshly-bottled beer.

St. Patrick’s Day in Savannah

And of course, what would be a St. Patrick’s Day roundup without mentioning Savannah’s long list of festivities.

The popular Tara Feis Irish Celebration, for example, is from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, in the city’s Emmet Park.

The family-friendly event features a non-alcoholic celebration complete with Irish music, art, activities, crafts and games, storytellers and children’s performances.

Then, Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day festival follows. The three-day event is March 17-19, along River Street and features a range of activities from live music to street performances, food and of course, plenty of beverages.

But the largest of all the city’s events is the St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 17.

As the second largest in the nation (second only to New York City’s), Savannah’s parade has attracted just over 800,000 if the day falls on the weekend and estimated 500,000 if on a weekday.

For this year’s parade, on a Thursday, parade committee chairman Jerry Hogan said organizers are expecting somewhere in the middle of those two numbers.

For those planning to drive from out of town, Hogan had this advice. Check the event’s website at www.savannahsaintpatricksday.com for map of the parade route, bleacher seating and parking locations.

“And get here early,” he said.

The parade begins promptly at 10:15 a.m. and winds it way through the city along several streets including Abercorn, Broughton and Bay streets.

For a complete list of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Savannah, visit www.savannah.com/savannahs-st-patricks-day-celebration.

This story was originally published March 8, 2016 at 4:11 PM with the headline "Lucas: Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day — from Hilton Head to Savannah."