Kick Up Your Heels at Boundary Bay Brewery

We’re getting ready for St. Patrick’s Day around here!  Our decorations are up, the Dry Irish Stout is ready and we just got our schedule for all the Irish dancing that’s going to take place right here in our brewery.  Join us for lots of fun and experience a “reel” Irish St. Patrick’s week with local Irish dancers, a special menu and live music by The Paddy Whackers and James Higgins!

The Penk O’Donnell Irish Dancers will be dancing at  Boundary Bay Brewery in multiple shows from March 12th – 17th. The dancers belong to the Penk-O’Donnell School of Irish Dance based in Vancouver, B.C.  Each of these young ladies has excelled in international competitions over the years competing in regional, national and world championship competitions.  They have traveled to Ireland, Scotland and throughout North America to attend competitions.  The scheduled performances at Boundary Bay Brewery are:

Friday, March 12th: 6pm and 8pm

Saturday, March 13th: 4pm, 6pm and 8pm

Sunday, March 14th: 6:30 pm

Wednesday, March 17th – ST PATRICKS DAY: 12:15 pm, 6pm and 8pm

For almost a decade, the Boundary Bay Brewery has featured this group of local Irish dancers during its St. Patrick’s Day festivities.  The Brewery has served as a welcome venue for the girls to share their Irish heritage and treat patrons to some of the finest expeditions of traditional Irish dance in North America.  It has also provided the girls an opportunity to raise some much needed funds to support their travels.  This year marks the tenth year the dancers will appear at Boundary Bay.

Come celebrate St. Patrick’s Day here at Boundary Bay Brewery with us!  Enjoy local Irish dancers and a special menu featuring traditional favorites like Sheperdess Pie, Corned Beef and Cabbage and a Cured Salmon Sandwich.  There’ll be some of our usual fare (like pizzas and salads) on the menu too if Irish food isn’t quite your cup o’ tea!  And don’t forget to try our Dry Irish Stout with a small amount of sour mashed pale malt combined with a generous dose of roasted barley and fuggles hops.  This lighter bodied Dry Irish Stout has a  silky body and session beer qualities, plus it’s served on nitro for maximum smoothness and dense creamy head!  Slàinte.

St. Paddy’s Day with Boundary Bay Brewery

a pint of Dry Irish Stout from Boundary Bay Brewery

We all know that Saint Patrick’s Day is a big holiday when it comes to beer.  But for us here at Boundary Bay Brewery, it’s taken on a whole new dimension this year.

We’ve always had a long history of being a community hub; often described by locals as “pure Bellingham.”  So, it should come as no surprise that Boundary Bay Brewery and General Manager, Janet Lightner are behind the efforts to get Bellingham’s first St. Patrick’s Day Parade up and running.

Bellingham’s first St Patrick’s Day Parade will hit downtown streets on Saturday, March 13^th at noon. The event, spearheaded by our own Janet Lightner, is being coordinated by an all-volunteer committee and is directly aimed at bringing the community together.  The parade is timed to follow Bellingham Parks and Recreation Department’s Runnin’ O’ the Green Race and Fun Run at Bloedel Donovan Park.  “We’re looking forward to a day full of fun for the entire Bellingham community,” says Lightner.

Her inspiration is the long tradition of St. Patrick’s Day Parades in Chicago, New York, Savannah and New Orleans.  Like those cities, this parade will honor Bellingham’s Police and Fire Department personnel.  Lightner adds, “Especially this year, we want these brave men and women to know that the community supports them.”

Like the traditional parades of Lightner’s inspiration, the Bellingham parade will feature Irish dancers, pipe bands and marching bands.  In a non-traditional twist, however, Bellingham’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is focusing on being green.  The parade organizers are encouraging human and green powered floats representing local businesses, schools, neighborhood associations and groups from all over the community.  Entry into the parade is free and Lightner hopes that will encourage lots of local businesses to come together to participate in this year’s parade.

Want to get involved?  The parade’s website is www.bellinghamstpatricksday.com and the Facebook fan page is www.facebook.com/stpatsbham.  The committee is also using Twitter to build support at www.twitter.com/stpatsbham. Information requests can be emailed to stpatsbham@gmail.com.

the Penk O'Donnell dancers at Boundary Bay, 2009

We’ll be continuing the St. Patrick’s Day fun at Boundary Bay Brewery on Wednesday, March 17^th with our annual Irish shenanigans.  Enjoy a special menu of traditional favorites like Sheperdess pie and corn beef and cabbage (regular menu also available) and kick up your heels to live music from the Paddy Whackers.  Enjoy a pint of Dry Irish Stout and pull up a barstool for the Penk O’Donnell Irish dancers – a yearly St. Patrick’s Day treat at Boundary Bay Brewrey.