Today is St. Patrick's Day, and San Diego has always loved to live up to the day in dozens of ways. Spend it at the parade in Banker's Hill and Hillcrest followed by the festival at Balboa Park's Marston Point. By nightfall, ShamROCK takes over the streets of the Gaslamp, but don't feel obligated to over-imbibe when there's plenty of non-Paddy's stuff to do, too. South Park has its spring walkabout, and the Casbah has a nighttime edition of Grampadrew's Flim Flam Revue. Ken Club celebrates with the Downs Family, Bar Pink hosts an SDMA showcase with Ariel Levine and Hippie Sabotage play a second night at the Observatory. In this city full of amazing venues and amazing beer, spare yourself the green beer and enjoy the festivities. Most importantly, make a plan for a sober ride home.
Saturday, March 17:
- South Park Spring Walkabout @ South Park Juniper/30th (6-10 p.m.)
- Grampadrew's Flim Flam Revue featuring Grampadrew, Matthew Strachota, Gary Hankins, Mike Pope, Julia Sage, Chad Pittman, Mike Flynn, Greg Theilmann @ Casbah
- Hippie Sabotage, Melvv, Azizi Gibson @ Observatory North Park
- St. Patrick's Day Parade & Festival featuring Ass Pocket Whiskey Fellas, Finnegan Blue, Shamrockers, Lexington Field, Irish Rockin' Rebels, Tony Cummins @ Marston Point, Balboa Park
- ShamROCK featuring Everlast, Lexington Field, Black Irish Texas, the Fooks, Drunken Lullabies, Na Scealalthe, Too Short, Kaos, DJ Heart Attak, Jamie Stack, Vtech, Mkey, Justin Caruso, Escobar, Savi, Cheyenne Giles, Sulvida @ Gaslamp/East Village
- SDMA showcase featuring Ariel Levine, Imagery Machine, Sister Speak @ Bar Pink (7 p.m.)
- The Downs Family, the Bedbreakers, Pink Eye @ Ken Club
- Neon Beat @ Bar Pink (10 p.m., $5)
- Metropolis Fox Theatre Film Series @ Copley Symphony Hall
- Blockhead, Yppah @ Soda Bar
- Joey & the Mentals @ Bolt Brewery
- Beatles vs. Stones featuring Abbey Road and Jumping Jack Flash @ Belly Up (SOLD OUT)
- '80s vs. '90s with DJs Gabe Vega & Saul Q @ Whistle Stop
- Bakersfield Condors vs. San Diego Gulls @ Valley View Casio Center
- BUMP! with Dazzla, Shige @ Blonde
- Brasiliense @ Dizzy's
- St. Patrick's Day @ Panama 66
- Alexis Lillian Lefranc, Sometimes Julie, Mitch Dembin & the Limited Jurisdiction, the Innocent Bystanders @ The Merrow
- Burnt, Mochilero All Stars, San Diego City Soul Club @ Manhattan Bar
- DSB (The Next Best Thing to Journey), SantanaWays @ Music Box
- Gone Blonde @ Pour House (5 p.m.)
- Custard Pie @ Pour House (10 p.m.)
- Legally Blonde, the Musical @ California Center for the Arts, Escondido
- The Focke Wolves, the Bourbon Saints, DJ Russian Roulette @ Black Cat Bar
- Up the Irons, Hardwired, Priest Unleashed @ Brick by Brick
- Star 94.1 presents Andy Grammer @ House of Blues
- Taylor Bennett, Kami, Bianca Shaw @ Voodoo Room, House of Blues
- Jarrod Spector & Kelli Barrett in "Funny How It Happens" @ Martini's Above Fourth
- St. Patrick's Day Stories and Songs @ Encinitas Library (7:30 p.m.)
- Nebula Drag, Dali's Llama, Ritual Potion, Condor @ Tower Bar
- Queer Cuties Got Talent hosted by SDBW @ Lestat's
- Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood Live: King for a Day @ Balboa Theatre (2 p.m. & 5:30 p.m.)
- The Merge @ De Oro Mine Co.
- Dark Globe, the Phantoms, Funky Thigh Collectors @ Bancroft Bar
- It's Not Easy Being Green: Tim Green, Cris Herrera, Lonely Boy, Zach Walker @ Fifty Seven Degrees
- Redwood Black @ Moonshine Beach
- Scott Stevens @ Moonshine Flats
- St. Patricks Day Party @ Winston's (4 p.m.)
- The Poetry Brothel: Cabaret Voltaire @ Cafe Bar Europa
- Channel 3, the Spent Idols, Glitter Trash, the Pictographs @ Til-Two Club
- Strictly Business with DJs Edroc & KanyeAsada @ The Office
- Let's Get Shamrocked: St. Patrick's Day featuring DJ Akrite, DJ J-Stylez, DJ Green T, Lexy Love of Energy 97.3 @ 710 Beach Club (1 p.m. to 1 a.m.)
- St. Paddy's Day of Shenanigans @ U-31 (12 p.m.-9 p.m.)
- DJ Qenoe @ U-31 (9:30 p.m.)
- Alan Iglesias, Crossfire @ Tio Leo's
- Michele Lundeen @ Humphreys Backstage Live (5 p.m.)
- Rising Star @ Humphreys Backstage Live (9 p.m.)
- BK Lounge with Billie Knight, Tone Capone, DJ Artistic, Dub-B @ El Dorado
- Shamrock After Party with Too Short @ Fluxx
- LED presents Medasin, Sly Turner @ Bang Bang
- Laidback Luke @ Parq
- Yngblood @ Bassmnt
- Massimiliano Pagliara, Josh Cheon, Chris Cruse at Bouquet @ Spin (3 p.m.)
- Overdrive: Dani Toro, Dirty Kurty, Paul Cowling @ Spin (10 p.m.)
- Copycat Killers @ Navajo Live
- St. Patrick’s Day '80s Flashback Party featuring Manic Fanatic @ Ramona Mainstage
- Mystic Mistress: Nicky Genesis, Zermers, Casmalia @ Kava Lounge
- Rockstar Saturdays @ Henry's
Rosemary Bystrak is the publicist for the Casbah and writes about the San Diego music scene, events and general musings about life in San Diego on San Diego: Dialed In. Follow her updates on Twitter or contact her directly.
