Bar Belle from 3/12/08 LEO

Green and bear it

Are you ready for the best long weekend in Louisville? Yes, I know Derby is months away. I’m not talking about that binge-fest — because I believe that St. Patty’s weekend is far superior here. I always have more fun these next few days than I do trying to convince track-going out-of-towners that our city is one of the best places to cop a buzz.

With St. Patrick’s Day falling on a Monday this year, it’s going to throw a minor wrench into my level of debauchery (unless, of course, you’d be willing to overlook a few spelling, proofing and editing errors in next week’s LEO). (NOTE TO EDITORS: OnlLy kiding …) So that means I’ll just have to get it all out of my system this weekend. Which starts on Thursday, by the way.

The festivities begin Thursday night with the annual Ancient Order of Hibernians (aka local Irish dudes) “Blessing of the Beer” event where a keg of BBC’s Jefferson Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout is blessed by a real live priest at the BBC Taproom on Main Street (5 p.m.), and then carted over to O’Shea’s where thirsty blokes await (6:30 p.m.). There’ll be Irish music and food to keep you occupied between pints.

And on Saturday, we’ve got the annual Hibernians’ St. Patrick’s Parade that stumbles down Baxter and Bardstown Road in the Highlands (from Phoenix Hill Tavern to the Mid-City Mall) at 3 p.m. It is a family event, so bring the kids and teach them at a young age that it’s OK to run into the street for candy and beads. I’ll be on the R Place Pub float practicing my best pageant wave while thinking of anything other than my nagging full bladder.

In other green news, there’s currently a push by the esteemed folks at Guinness to make St. Patrick’s Day an official U.S. holiday — meaning you wouldn’t have to lie about taking the day off anymore. They need your support at http://proposition317.com.

If I bump into you or throw beads in your eyes this weekend, I didn’t mean it, I swear. But I’ll have another if you’d be so kind. E-mail me at shavens@leoweekly.com or check out my blog at leobarbelle.blogspot.com