BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — On St. Patrick’s Day, local restaurants and pubs in Bakersfield are going all out to celebrate the holiday in style.

“I play the pipes, drink Jameson’s whiskey — only a little one, a little bottle,” said pipe player Robbie Byrne.

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Around town, local eateries are shoulder-to-shoulder with a sea of green. It’s not just festive sights, though — it’s also festive sounds.

Byrne said he had a lifetime of experience playing the pipes.

“Since I was 10, so 60 years ago. I’ve given my age away!” Byrne said.

Some patrons at McGarry’s Irish Pub have been coming to hear the pipes for years.

“It’s St. Patrick’s Day. We share St. Patrick’s Day every year, come out and listen to the pipers,” said patron Kevin Hiles.

And it’s not just one pub where you can hear these pipes, nor is it just from one man. The Kern County Fire Pipes and Drums marched into Pyrenees Cafe in full force to deliver a spirited performance.

“This is one of the things we practice for year round and it’s always a lot of fun,” said Pipe Major Nick Haynes. “It’s great to jump around and just play in different bars and venues, talk to people and educate them about the instrument.”

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As the pipe major, or the leader of the band, Haynes explained how exactly bagpipes work.

“You have yourself a bag here, you have your chanter, this is where you play all of your notes,” Haynes said. “This is like the soloist and like a choir. And you have your drones here, they’re kind of like the background.”

Playing the bagpipes seems like no easy feat. You can catch these players around Pyrenees, McGarry’s, Sandrini’s, Guthrie’s Alley Cat or any number of local bars and restaurants designated on the downtown St. Patrick’s bar crawl.

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