by Cornelia Fortier

Just when our patience with winter is about to run out, St. Patrick’s Day arrives with its parades and celebrations. The timing couldn’t be better. With a few more weeks of drab, grey weather still to endure, the high spirits and bold colors of St. Patrick’s Day cheer us until mother nature does her own wearing of the  green.

St. Patrick’s Day Parades

Greenwich, Sunday, March 9th  at 2 PM. The parade begins at Town Hall and proceeds up Field Pt. Road to West Putnam Avenue, taking a right onto West Putnam and right again onto Greenwich Avenue, moving along the full length of Greenwich. It disbands at the Island Beach parking lot. Joseph M. Gavin, an owner of The Horseneck Tavern, is this year’s parade Grand Marshal.

Stamford, Saturday, March 15th at noon. The parade starts at Broad Street by the Public Library, moves onto Bedford Street, left onto Summer Street and back down Broad Street. Stamford native Bob Kennedy is this year’s Parade Grand Marshal. 80 marching units are expected to participate in the parade.

Danbury, Sunday, March 16th at 2:30 PM. The parade steps off from Rogers Park, heads half way down Main Street to Liberty Street and ends in back of Hibernian Hall.  Grand Marshals are Katie Gehan and Norm Carvalho. Danbury’s new Irish Cultural Center is expected to open in the fall.

Bridgeport, Monday, March 17th at noon.  The 26th annual Bridgeport St. Patrick’s Day parade begins at Harbor Yard, proceeds north on Broad Street, right onto Fairfield Avenue to Main Street, and south on Main Street working its way back to Harbor Yard. The Greater Bridgeport St. Patrick’s Day Committee has chosen Bob Curwen as the parade’s Grand Marshal. An 8 AM Lenten mass in honor of St. Patrick will be celebrated at the Cathedral of St. Augustine by Bishop Lori.

Events

March 8th - From 2 PM to 4 PM, Greenwich Library presents Irish fiddle playing by the world-renowned P.V. O'Donnell and friends. Get in the mood for St. Patrick's Day with an afternoon of traditional Irish festivities.  Greenwich Library, 101 West Putnam Avenue, Greenwich, 203-622-7900  http://www.greenwichlibrary.org/

March 13th - Western CT University’s 27th annual “Bagpiper on the Green” offers free live performances in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, with pipes, flutes, the field drum and narration at 10:30 a.m. in the West Side Campus’s “fishbowl” and at noon on the Midtown campus Quadrangle. Western Connecticut University, 181 White St., Danbury, 203-837-8696.

March 15th - Irish Americans looking for their roots can learn how to trace their family trees back to Europe. Three noted researchers give a talk on how to research in the US, Ireland and using the Internet. The lecture starts at noon, in room C232, Housatonic Community College, 900 Lafayette Blvd., Bridgeport. Contact: Jonathan Shea, 203-332-5279 or jshea@hcc.commnet.edu.

March 15th - Trumbull Library presents a family-friendly performance of traditional Irish folk songs and tunes, jigs, reels, hornpipes, bodhran, Irish, Scottish, and maritime folk songs by Bruce and Sandy Hedman of Tara's Thistle. From 3 PM to 4:30 PM in the Community Room. Registration is requested. Trumbull Library, 33 Quality Street, Trumbull, 203-452-5125 http://www.trumbullct.com.

March 15th-17th - The Irish Feast at Rowley’s Tavern includes a traditional Irish breakfast starting at 8:30 AM with Irish bacon, bangers, black and white puddin', broiled tomato, potatoes, baked beans and toast served with eggs as well as authentic Irish and regional Celtic dishes for lunch and dinner. There is Irish entertainment Sunday and Monday. Rowley's Tavern, 280 Connecticut Ave., Norwalk,  203-642-4599  http://www.Rowleystavern.com.

March 16th - Leahy, the musical powerhouse of eight Canadian siblings known for their exceptional musicianship and electrifying step dancing, performs at The Quick Center at 7:30 PM. A pre-show St. Patrick's Day Celebration begins at 6:30 PM. Tickets are $30-$40. The Quick Center, 1073 North Benson Road, Fairfield 203-254-4010  http://www.quickcenter.com.

March 17th - Kids wearing green socks, accompanied by a paying adult, get in free on St. Patrick's Day at Bridgeport's Beardsley Zoo, from 9 AM to 4 PM. Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo, 1875 Noble Avenue, Bridgeport, 203-394-6565 http://www.beardsleyzoo.org.

March 20th - The Irish Rovers, international ambassadors of Irish music, deliver a rollicking, rousing performance of good cheer, at the Palace Theatre at 8 PM. Tickets are $21-$31.  The Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic Street, Stamford,  203-325-4466 http://stamfordcenterforthearts.org.

March 21st - The musical group, Enter the Haggis, plays rock, fusion, bluegrass, traditional Celtic fare, folk, even Latin flavors with bleating bagpipes, reverberating guitars and fierce drums. Their performance begins at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $22. Fairfield Theatre Company, 70 Sanford St., Fairfield, 203-259-1036 http://fairfieldtheatre.org.