It’s that time of year again when heaping helpings of corned beef and cabbage are served and streams of stout, cheap green beer and whiskey are flowing. At least that’s what those who proclaim to be of honorary Irish descent seem to associate with St. Patrick’s Day.

Here in the Bay Area, which is home to a healthy Irish-American population, there are bountiful options for celebrating the patron saint of Ireland, who, according to legend, drove the snakes out of the Emerald Isle back in the fifth century.

Enjoy San Francisco’s Longest-running Parade
While the holiday falls on a Saturday this year, the official festivities kick off on Saturday with the San Francisco St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which according to organizers is the largest such event on the West Coast. Downtown will be inundated with a sea of green as thousands of people descend on Market Street to watch Ceili dancers, floats, musicians and more. There is post-parade festival in Civic Center Plaza with plenty of extra entertainment, exhibits, food, and of course, beverages.

St. Patrick’s Day Events

* Irish Bank St. Patrick’s Day Block Party

* St. Patrick’s Day Headquarters for San Francisco

* St. Patrick’s Day Block Party in Financial District w/ Wonderbread 5

* St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl in San Francisco

* St. Patrick’s Day on the Roof!

* Kiss Me, I’m Irish: St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl

* San Francisco Official St Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl

* St. Patrick’s Day Brew Crawl in Downtown Pleasanton

* Club X St. Patrick’s Day

* St. Patrick’s Day Block Party

* St. Patrick’s Weekend Comedy Bash

* Oakland Official St Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl

* St. Patrick’s Day Celebration In Jack London

* Pacifica St Patrick’s Day 5k Run

Come for the drink, stay for the Craic

While any local watering hole can add green food coloring to a light beer and put up some temporary Guinness advertising, why not make a pilgrimage to one of San Francisco’s legitimate Irish bars? San Francisco has several fantastic venues where the entertainment and imbibing have mixed with enjoyable conversations for multiple generations.

One of the oldest—and best—is the Little Shamrock in San Francisco’s Inner Sunset, where they’ve been serving up drinks since 1893. Inside the cozy confines, you’ll find a variety of antique couches and tables, a dart room, and a fireplace to warm up in front of to stave off that cold Sunset fog. While sipping a drink, one can gaze at a series of vintage black-and-white photographs showing the front of the pub back when Lincoln was still a dirt road, and there’s a horse tied up out front.

Other honorable mentions: Ireland’s 32 (3290 Geary Blvd., SF), The Blarney Stone (5620 Geary Blvd., SF), The Plough and Stars (116 Clement, SF), The Irish Bank (10 Mark Ln, SF).

And here’s a friendly tip: don’t go into any of these businesses and order a “Car Bomb” unless you want to be escorted out of said establishment as quickly as the holiday’s namesake drove the snakes out of Eire.

Get Cultured

Another great resource for those looking for events this month, as well as year-round, is the United Irish Cultural Center of San Francisco, whose headquarters out by Ocean Beach hold an incredible number of events, along with an impressive library and ways to learn about one’s ancestors.

• Tag: Block Party, celebration, Irish Bars, Parade, st. patrick's day