Restaurants, vendors go for brogue

The St. Patrick's Day Festival and Parade turns 25 this year and will celebrate with a move to bigger digs. "This year we're expecting 10,000," said Steve Dunn, the president of the St. Patrick's Day Parade and Festival. El Presidio Park will be the center of all things Irish on Saturday, with music and entertainment from Mark Luther, the Maguire Academy of Irish Dance, Scatter the Dust, Neal Flint, The Out of Kilters, Púca, Aris and the Dusty Buskers. Food vendors will whet Irish appetites with everything from corned beef sandwiches to Irish roasted corn. Food vendors include Wild West Kettle Corn, Patty Cakes of Tucson and the Laos Student Club. More St. Pat's options If you must drink green beer, Thunder Canyon Brewery is serving its Sandstone Cream Ale with an emerald hue this Saturday. "The coloring adds absolutely nothing except color to the beer," assured Grant Warren, one of the managers. The ale is the lightest of the 10 or so beers the brewery keeps on tap. Thunder Canyon is also going to have a couple kegs of already-mixed Black and Tans made from the brewery's stout and amber. The pints and black and tans will be $3.25 all day. St. Patrick's Day has grown into a low-key tradition at the brewery, which opened in 1997. There will be plates of corned beef and cabbage, but there won't be reservations on the holiday. "It's first come, first serve," he said. The brewery, at 7401 N. La Cholla Blvd., has a patio with expansive mountain reviews. "We're hoping for a beautiful day," he said. No Voodoo Cajun Pasta or Chicken Saltimboca at Pastiche Modern Eatery Saturday. The Midtown restaurant's goin' Irish all day - from 11:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. - in honor of St. Patrick's Day. As is tradition for Pastiche, it transforms into Paddy's Irish Pub with an all-Irish menu from appetizers to dessert. Starters include bangers and mash and Nellie's Irish soda bread. Entrees, which range from $15.50 to $19.50, cover everything from classic corned beef and cabbage to Guinness hamburger steak topped with a fried egg. Even the dessert menu's got a brogue with Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey pie and Guinness stout cake with Dublin mudslide ice cream. Make reservations; it's a popular event. Pastiche is at 3025 N. Campbell Ave., 325-3333, and online at www.pasticheme.com. Head over to O'Shaughnessy's Steakhouse & Piano Bar for a full Irish dinner and musical revue on St. Patrick's Eve, then return on Saturday for more food and music by the Celtic Hammerheads on the patio from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Reservations are required on Friday, with seating times at 5 and 7:30 p.m. Prices range from $9 to $18. On St. Patrick's Day, the restaurant will offer Irish fare, including corned beef sandwiches from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Find O'Shaughnessy's at 2200 N. Camino Principal. Make reservations at 296-SING (7464) The Wooden Nickel Tavern will start serving corned beef and cabbage at 11 a.m. on Saturday and will keep serving it until it's gone. St. Patrick's Day is one of the busiest days of the year at the neighborhood bar at 1908 S. Country Club Road. In addition to corned beef and cabbage for $7 and Irish stew for $4, the Wooden Nickel is offering a slew of drink specials - including green beer. Information at 323-8830. As it has for years, the McCulloch-Wagner American Legion Post 109 at 15921 S. Houghton Road will celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a corned beef and cabbage dinner. "It's just fantastic," said John Suhay, the post commander, noting that the women's auxiliary includes some very talented cooks. The meal is open to the public and served from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday. The post doesn't take reservations, serving until the food runs out. The cost is $8; $4 for kids under 12. The proceeds benefit the post's community service and veterans. Info at 762-5652. If you go St. Patrick's Day Parade and Festival • The festival opens at 10 a.m. Saturday at El Presidio Park, 160 W. Alameda St., with live Irish music, dancers, entertainment, a children's game area, and food and merchandise vendors along with Irish organizations. • The parade starts at 11 a.m. at Pennington Street and Stone Avenue, making its way around the presidio before looping back. The parade includes floats, military units, local dignitaries, and civic, cultural and social groups. • There are a couple of runs to get you moving before the festival and parade. Running with the Irish 5K and the Green Isle Mile benefit the Kick Cancer for Stephen Foundation and the Community Food Bank. Participants 21 and older will get coupon for a $1 beer (must have ID) at the festival. The cost is $25 for one race, or $35 for both races, in addition to a nonperishable food item. 820-6447. Running with the Irish 5K begins at The Plaza at East Ninth Street and North Fourth Avenue. Starts at 7:30 a.m. and travels the Aviation bike path including the three bike bridges. Registration starts at 6:30 a.m. Saturday. The Green Isle Mile begins at the northwest corner of Pennington Street and Stone Avenue at 10:45, and winds through downtown. The run serves as the kickoff to the St. Patrick's Day Parade. Register at 10 a.m. Did you know? In memory of the more than 1 million Irish who died in the Great Famine more than 150 years ago, marchers and spectators are asked to remember the hungry of Tucson. The Community Food Bank will accept canned food donations during the festival. Honoring parade founders The theme of this year's St. Patrick's Day Parade and Festival is "Honoring our Founders" in tribute to those who started it 25 years ago. One of them was Mike Haggerty, the former Tucson city councilman, shop owner and North Fourth Avenue icon, who died last week. He was 81. Haggerty had been named grand marshal of this year's parade. His wife, daughter and family friends plan to walk in his honor.