All Over Albany

Better ways to celebrate St. Patrick's Day

From the Albany St. Patrick's Day Parade a few years back.

Last St. Patrick's Day was a memorable one, to say the least, but for all the wrong reasons. It's a great holiday -- just one better celebrated without destruction, arrests, and bunch of other regrettable behavior. The celebration shouldn't leave an unsightly pockmark on a city and region with a proud Irish history.

So, to help reset the course of St. Patrick's Day in the Capital Region, here are a bunch of local ways to celebrate the holiday. From music, to food and drink, dance, history, and shopping, use this guide to make the most of the time of year where everyone is Irish, if only for a day.

Slainte!

Things to Do

Irish American Heritage Museum
370 Broadway, Albany
Chartered in 1986, the Irish American Heritage Museum recently opened its doors in downtown Albany. Dedicated to telling the story of the nearly 40 million Irish Americans who claim Irish ancestry. The museum's collections and exhibits explore Irish American's contributions to history and culture.

The Irish in Albany Tour
March 10 and 14
A guided trolley tour of the city and guided tour of the Irish American Heritage Museum ending with a meal and a pint at McGeary's Pub in downtown Albany. $40/per person.

The North Albany St. Patrick's Day Parade
March 17
A long-running neighborhood tradition that has ardent fans -- including some who contend it's the better of the two parades. It starts at 11 am, so there's plenty of time to make it downtown for the larger city parade. The parade route starts at the North Albany American Legion Post #1610 (map).

Albany St. Patrick's Day Parade
March 17
The 62nd annual Albany St. Patrick's Day Parade starts at 2 pm from the corner of Quail St and Central Ave, down to Washington Ave on to State St. (It's a new route this year -- which is actually the old route.) Bands, pipes, drums, and lots of green.

Capital District Celtic Cultural Association
430 New Karner Rd, Albany
Established in 1998, the CDCCA is dedicated to preserving Celtic culture in the Capital Region. Classes in Celtic music, dance, language, as well as lecture series and study abroad opportunities.

Irish Dance Lessons
OK, maybe not for day of, but maybe a few lessons before. Or for next year?
+ Farrell School of Irish Dance
+ Boland School of Irish Dance
+ Clar School of Irish Dance

Music and Dance

March 9: Hair of the Dog performs at Stout
904 Broadway, Albany, 8pm

March 10: Susan McKeown Underground at Proctors, 7:30 pm - $23-25
Grammy award-winning vocalist and BBC Folk Award nominee from Dublin brings her strong and unique vocals to Schenectady.

March 10: Hair of the Dog performs at the Parting Glass,
Two shows: 7 pm and 9:30 pm - $13 cover (reservations recommended). 40-42 Lake Ave, Saratoga Springs.

March 11: The Parting Glass 31st Anniversary Celebration
Irish music and dance - 12-3 pm.

March 14: Celtic Woman "Believe" at The Palace
7:30pm, $33, $63

March 16: Enter the Haggis, the Egg, Albany 8pm, $24
Toronto-based Celtic rock band is touring to support their new album, "White Lake."

March 17: Hair of the Dog performs at Revolution Hall, Troy, 8pm $13, $15
Tickets available through the Browns Brewing store.

Food/Drink
All these places will be hopping on St. Patrick's Day.

The Irish Times
14 Phila Street, Saratoga Springs
The Times offers up an array of Irish food and drink; most notably, an all-day traditional Irish Breakfast -- one of the few restaurants to offer it in the region.

The Parting Glass
40-42 Lake Avenue, Saratoga Springs
For the past 31 years the Parting Glass has been known for its atmosphere, beer and craic. The menu isn't strictly Irish, but there are a few staples including: Sheppard's Pie, Lamb Stew, and Fish and Chips.

McGeary's Irish Pub
4 Clinton Square, Albany
An Albany St. Patrick's Day mainstay and home to Tess Collins and her devotees, McGeary's offers a mix of Irish-American pub fare and a healthy beer selection. This is a hotspot for food and drink after the parade.

Washington Tavern
250 Washington Ave, Albany
Another Albany staple and historically Irish-owned pub, the Washington Tavern also serves a mix of Irish-American pub fare (and pizza) and offers a respectable beer selection.

Stout
904 Broadway, Albany
One of Albany's newest bars in the Warehouse District, Stout also offers a variety of pub fare with a few Irish staples thrown in for good measure. Stout boasts a decent selection of draft beers, a spacious interior, and Irish-American decor -- worth stopping in for a pint.

Anna O'Keeffe's Pub
138 Washington, Ave, Albany
Open since 2009, Anna O'Keeffe's boasts a solid selection of Irish beers and whiskey and is located along the parade route. The first Thursday of the month they also have Irish music and drums.

Bat Shea's
95 Ferry St., Troy, NY
Bat Shea's opened in December 2011. Shea's offers the Irish draft beer staples (Guinness, Smithwick's (pronounced "smit-ticks"), McSorely's, and Kilkenny Irish Cream Ale.

Stock up for the holiday
If you're looking for a few St. Patrick's day gifts or something to wear to your celebration, you might find it at one of these shops.

Tipperary at Tara
3956 Route 2, Brunswick

The Counties of Ireland
77 Third St., Troy

Lennon's Irish Shop
164 Jay St., Schenectady

Celtic Treasures
465 Broadway, Saratoga Springs

Other ideas? Please share!

Elisabeth is @elisdraper on Twitter

photo: Sebastien Barre