St. Patrick's Day: Check for local events and special deals in the Oklahoma City area

Thursday is St. Patrick’s Day, a major holiday for Irish communities in the U.S. and around the world.

The day commemorates Saint Patrick, a missionary who arrived in Ireland during the 5th century and introduced Christianity to the Irish people. March 17 is widely believed to be the day he died, and Ireland has been at the forefront of celebrations commemorating its patron saint on that day since the ninth century. It was eventually established as a public holiday for Ireland in 1903.

St. Patrick’s Day celebrations usually feature public parades, festivals and “céilí” folk dances, along with the traditional wearing of green attire and shamrocks. Traditional holiday meals include servings of corned beef and cabbage, as well as what’s called the “Irish breakfast” ― helpings of bacon, sausages, baked beans, eggs, mushrooms, grilled tomatoes and potatoes. Traditional beverages include Irish beer and Irish whiskey.

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St. Patrick's Day events in Oklahoma City

Some cities throughout the U.S., where Irish heritage is particularly strong amongst more than 31 million people, have unique ways of commemorating St. Patrick’s Day. In Chicago, Illinois, for example, the city dyes its river green. And in mid-March, popular pubs and local venues in Oklahoma City are planning their own celebrations through the weekend.

The chances of rain in the forecast might impede some outdoors plans, but The Oklahoman is highlighting an assortment of holiday events and specials in the order they’re scheduled to begin Thursday.

• McNellie’s Block Party, held at the famed Irish pub on 1100 Classen Drive, is an all-day event that happens every St. Patrick's Day in Oklahoma City. The pub will open at 10 a.m. Thursday, but the party won’t officially start until 11 a.m. and is set to last for 15 hours, until 1 a.m. Friday. Pub staff said to expect food, drinks and live music.

• Prairie Artisan Ales, a small craft brewery at 3 NE 8 in Oklahoma City, is reviving a couple of special offerings for the holiday: One is the Shamrock Shake, a milkshake IPA with mint and vanilla. The other is “The Last Straw,” the brewery’s sour ale with green apple sour straws. The taproom opens at 11 a.m., and doors close at 10 p.m.

• Skydance Brewing Co., the first Native American-owned brewing company in Oklahoma City’s Automobile Alley, is launching a new Irish Extra Stout beer on St. Patrick’s Day. “Full of dark chocolate and coffee notes with a bit of roast,” the brewery said it’s neither heavy or overly sweet. While a taproom-only release, Skydance said it will have limited quantities of 4-packs for 16-ounce cans of the Irish beer onsite. Hours are from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

• Sham-ROCK the Gardens, a St. Patrick’s Day celebration at downtown Oklahoma City's Myriad Botanical Gardens, will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Thursday. Visitors can enjoy music, dancing, face-painting and crafts when they attend. Scheduled musicians include Dustin Cooper, Misty Posey, Raven’s Three, the McTeggart Irish Dancers of OKC, and the Oklahoma Scottish Pipe and Drums. To add to the atmosphere, the Myriad Gardens lake will be dyed green.

• Bricktown’s St. Patrick’s Day Country Jam is set to begin at 4 p.m. in the parking lot adjacent to The Canal in Oklahoma City's Bricktown. The venue is advertising it as a free “all ages” celebration, but Coors Light, which is helping present the event, is planning on providing one free green beer per drinking-age adult between 5 and 6 p.m. Live entertainment will include Jack Rowdy, Amarillo Junction and Cam Allen.

• Golfers might be aware of The Greens Country Club’s plans to hold a St. Patrick’s Day Party from 6 to 11 p.m. at 13100 Green Valley Drive on Thursday. Flyers recommend members wear “your most festive St. Patrick’s day outfit.” A variety of drink specials will be offered, including $12 “Irish Car Bombs,” $6 “Irish Mules,” $5 Green Tea shots, $6 Guinness and $2.50 domestic beers. The club encourages members to make reservations via the mobile app or call 405-751-6266.

• The Up-Down Scavenger Hunt will start at 7 p.m. Thursday at the arcade bar in Oklahoma City's Plaza District. Solving all of the clues for the arcade's scavenger hunt will earn the participant a cauldron of tokens, but visitors must be 21 or older to enter the doors.

• The celebrated Angles club, at 2117 NW 39 in Oklahoma City's LGBTQ district, will be hosting a special edition of the club’s DJ & Jocks at 9 p.m. Thursday, with House Beats by TNDR playing throughout the night. A variety of beers, cocktails, and shots also will be available, including the popular $5 PBR + Fireball shot. The staff encourages visitors to wear green in recognition of the holiday, but doors will close at 2 a.m. as usual.

• City Garden is the new name for the space at NW 10 and Harvey formerly known as the Bleu Garten, a popular food truck park. The McNellie’s Restaurant Group is taking over the Midtown venue and rebranding it. The new concept also includes new furniture, different lighting, fire pits and additional foliage. “City Garden” will debut to the public on St. Patrick’s Day only, before establishing a set schedule later in the spring.

• The St. Patrick's Day Parade is a family-friendly annual event in Oklahoma City's historic Stockyards City. After risking cancellation due to inclement weather during the second weekend of March, the parade is now scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday. Led by the Slash O Ranch Longhorns, the parade this year also seeks to honor local civic leader Pat Downes as its grand marshal. Kid-catering events will include balloon art, face painting, movies, cartoons and games, along with the chance to meet Woody and Jesse from the Pixar “Toy Story” franchise.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: St. Patrick's Day events, specials, deals near OKC