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Irish on IoniaWhere: Ionia Avenue SW amid Weston and Oakes streets and McFadden’s Restaurant and Saloon, 58 Ionia Ave. SWWhen: 7 a.m. to midnight, Saturday, March 16Tickets: $10 in advance, $15 at the gate. VIP tickets are $55 for re-entry, a T-shirt, and 22 oz. commemorative mug.Details: Irish On Ionia on Facebook
UPDATE: All pre-sale tickets accept been awash for this event
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Blooming beer will be abounding afresh in the streets of Admirable Rapids on Saturday, March 16, as the Irish on Ionia St. Patrick's Day Anniversary allotment to city Admirable Rapids for the third year.
From 7 a.m. to midnight, Ionia Avenue SW amid Weston and Oakes streets will be bankrupt to traffic. The artery will be abounding with Celtic bands and dancers, DJs, bagpipers, beer tents and an Irish-inspired aliment pavilion.
The alfresco anniversary begins at 10 a.m., but diehard Irish can alpha the day at 7 a.m. central McFadden's Restaurant and Saloon, 58 Ionia Ave. SW, for a "kegs & eggs" Irish breakfast. The aboriginal 300 bodies in bandage for Irish on Ionia will be accepted to McFadden's breakfast cafe for free.
New to this year’s anniversary is a 22 oz. Irish on Ionia commemorative mug chargeless for the aboriginal 300 bodies to arrive. This mug can be abounding with beer for the aforementioned amount as a pint, but it's about 50 percent beyond and can be taken home as a souvenir. The aforementioned mugs will be accessible for acquirement afterwards in the day for $10.
Tickets to this year’s anniversary are “selling four times faster than aftermost year’s sellout,” said Shane Phillipsen, of Barfly Ventures. “This affair has developed every year back we launched it and we’re assured to see about 14,000 bodies throughout the day. It’s activity to be a abundant time.”
There are three levels of acceptance prices. The abject amount is a $10 pre-sale accepted admission. Acceptance at the aperture is $15.
For $20 you can accept a accepted acceptance acceptance and acceptance to a clandestine “Shamrocking” affair on the third attic of McFadden’s from 4 to 7 p.m. that includes a buffet, alive music and alcohol specials. This accident is a fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club of Admirable Rapids and Camp O’Malley. The clandestine accident will be accessible to the aboriginal 300 bodies to buy a ticket.
VIP (Very Irish Person) tickets are accessible for $55. Organizers achievement the VIP account of actual re-entry will advance this year's event.
“We had so abounding bodies that capital to leave from and again acknowledgment to the accident but were afraid to go due to the continued re-entry lines,” Phillipsen said. “Along with the T-shirt and 22 oz. gift mug is the adeptness to canyon over the accepted acceptance bandage for re-entry and calmly get in and out of the event.”
Only 1,000 VIP tickets are accessible for sale.
While the beer may be artificially green, the music is about as accurate as you could ask for. Opening the agreeable allocation of the anniversary is the bandage Peat in the Creel – a four-piece Irish Celtic band. The band's advance singer, Toby Bresnahan, is third bearing Irish.
“I was there (Irish on Ionia) aftermost year and it was fantastic, a abundant time,” said Bresnahan, who additionally performs as a abandoned act. “I anticipate it’s abundant to accept this in Admirable Rapids. I feel the Irish association is growing and abutting added through amusing media and contest like this.”
To bolt Peat in the Creel on stage, acceptance early; the appearance begins at 10 a.m. and won't aftermost long. The bandage has two added gigs in Holland and Admirable Haven on Saturday, and two added on Sunday.
“Playing and administration this music is anniversary abundant for us," Bresnahan said. "But afterwards that night we may lift a Guinness or two.”
Headlining this year’s accident is the bandage “The Waxies” who were called the “Best Celtic Rock Bandage in Michigan” in 2009. They will allotment the date with An Dro, Gasta, Millish and the Billies, and The Crane Wives. The accident will be emceed by Bill Lynch, who is additionally accepted as “Liam the XL Leprechaun.”
Lynch, who runs Giant Leprechaun Productions, appointed all of the agreeable acts.
"I adulation actuality a big allotment of it. I'm an Irish guy and I like to affectation for pictures in my outfit," Lynch said. "I was tagged in about 4,000 pictures on Facebook aftermost year."
"I like to say I'm not alone the world's better Leprechaun but additionally the best photographed Leprechaun," Lynch said. "I still don't accept to this day that there are so abounding pictures of Liam out there."
Celtic dancers from Ardan Academy of Irish Ball additionally will accomplish Saturday.
Instructor Darcy Mullett is accessible to appearance the army a jig.
"We're bringing about 20 dancers alignment from age 5 to 17 with beginners all the way up to best dancers," she said.
The affiliation will accomplish in the Admirable Rapids' St. Patrick's Day array and again arch over to Irish on Ionia to hit the date aloof afterwards 2 p.m.
"We'll be assuming jigs, reels and our admirable afterpiece is a acute reel, which is a affectionate of 'Riverdance'-style fast paced a capella ball that is a absolute army favorite," Mullett said.
Irish on Ionia tickets are accessible at HopCat, McFadden's, Stella's Lounge and Admirable Rapids Brewing Company, as able-bodied as online (service fee applies) at TicketWeb.com.
A complete agenda of contest is accessible at facebook.com/IrishonIonia.
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