SHAKING YOUR SHAMROCK IN THE SOUTH SHIRE OF VERMONT

"May the Irish hills caress you. May her lakes and rivers bless you. May the luck of the Irish enfold you. May the blessings of Saint Patrick behold you." - Irish Blessing

Not all of us can make it back to the homeland to celebrate St. Patty’s Day; with that in mind come check out all that's happening in the Southern Shire of Vermont instead!  

Perhaps it's our strong lineage of Irish blood here or because our hills, creeks and appreciation of hand-crafted beer mirrors that of the Emerald Isle, but we do enjoy this special time of year - a day to celebrate the coming of spring, a close-knit community rich with family ties, and of course, all things Irish!

So, throw on something green, crank up the Celtic vibes, and join us for a special celebratory St. Patrick's Day on Sunday, March 12th (yes, we celebrate the weekend before the actual date of March 17th).

Let us show you how to shake your shamrock in these Shires.

10:00am
Wake up with an Irish step in your walk and come join us at JC’s Tavern as we celebrate the annual Top o' the Mornin' Kick-Off Breakfast.  A buffet breakfast ($5 donation made at the door), fun giveaways and prizes, a 50/50 Raffle, mimosas & Bloody Mary's all day, Irish coffee, Guinness on draft, live Irish music all day by Shakespeare in the Alley help us all get into the spirit of the day.

11:00am
Included in the morning festivities at JC’s is a special recognition of the 2017 Grand Marshal (Dr. Michael Mugits) and the Parade Colleen (Kaity O'Brien) and her court.  All donations and a portion of the bar proceeds will benefit a new local Autism and Spectrum Disorder Awareness non-profit group.

1:00pm
Beginning at the Fire Station parking lot, the annual Bennington St. Patrick’s Day Parade will head South to River Street, then East to Depot Street, then South to Main Street, then turn east to the Four Corners at Putnam Square. At Putnam Square the parade will turn north onto North Street and continue traveling north up to River Street.  The parade will take a left (heading west) onto River Street and continue until it arrives back at the municipal parking area behind the Bennington Station Restaurant.

2:00pm
The celebrations continue at parade headquarters (JC’s Tavern) with live music, corned beef dinners, reubens, and Irish nachos!

Afternoon to Night
Throughout the day area restaurants and pubs will be featuring music and Irish celebrations.  Madison’s Brewery will be having guitarist Ray Gifford from 1pm-4pm along with special corned beef dinners. Kevin’s Sports Pub will also be featuring Irish-inspired drinks and food specials throughout the day.  The Tap House at Catamount Glass is featuring a variety of Irish favorites including Guinness Gravy on Steak.  Donovan's has the "coldest beer" in town and will have a variety of St. Patrick Day drinks and specials.