The Irish are coming! Along with lots of folks who like the idea of “being Irish” for a day, or a weekend.

St. Patrick’s Day is officially Tuesday, March 17, and seeing as the closest weekend is the one just around the corner, both St. Petersburg and Tampa will be turning on the green faucet a few days early.

Here’s what you need to know:

Kicking off Friday afternoon at 3, and continuing all day Saturday and Sunday, is the 4th annual Paddy Fest in St. Petersburg’s Williams Park. Along with a vendors’ market, oversized kids’ play area and food and beverage trucks (yes, there will be beer) the event has a robust schedule of Irish-themed entertainment.

READ MORE: Green days ahead: Paddy Fest is March 13-15

Friday

6 p.m.: The Gobshites
8 p.m.:  Bawdy Boys

 

Saturday

11 a.m.: Ganley Academy Of Irish Dance

11:30 a.m.: Chad McDonald

1 p.m.:  The Byrne Brothers

2:45 p.m.: St Pete Dancers

3:15 p.m.: Brendan Nolan

3:45 p.m.:  Shepherd Pie Contest

4:15 p.m.: Scariff Dancers

5 p.m.: Dunedin Pipe Band

6: p.m.:  Warfield & The Young Wolfe Tones

 

Sunday

11 a.m.: Ganley Academy Of Irish Dance

11:30 a.m.: Chad McDonald

12:30 p.m.: Scariff Dancers

1 p.m.:  John Kelly

1:35 p.m.: Cage

2 p.m.:  Suncoast Pipe Band

3 p.m.: St. Pete Irish Dancers

3:30 p.m.:  Derek Warfield & The Young Wolfe Tones

5 p.m.: St. Pete Irish Dancers

6 p.m.: 7 Nations

Tickets to Paddy Fest are available at this link.

Across the bridge

That’s not phosphorescent algae you’ll be seein’ in the Hillsborough River, behind Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, Saturday from 11 a.m. forward.

It’s the come-hither for the Tampa Downtown Partnership’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Festival, called, what else, River O’Green. Environmentalists have been making noise about possible detrimental effects to the fish and other creatures that live in the river, but festival organizers insist the dye is non-toxic and biodegradable.

Along with the shiny green waterway backdrop, Saturday’s event will include a parade, food and beverage trucks (yes, there will be beer) and an entertainment/happenings schedule:

10:55 a.m.: Irish Color Guard Begins Lead to River

11 a.m.: Festival and  River Coloring Begins

11:10 a.m.:-12:10 p.m.: Paddy O’Furniture Performance

12:15 p.m.: Finnegan Irish Dance Academy Performance

12:45-1:45 p.m.: Irish Buskers Performance

2 p.m.: Finnegan Irish Dance Academy Performance and Parade Begins

2:30 p.m.: Pet Costume Contest

3-4 p.m.: Shane Beirne Performance

4 p.m.: Festival concludes

 

St. Pete Beach

Admission is free to Saturday’s Corey Avenue St. Patrick’s Day Street Party in St. Pete Beach. The live music event, from 11 a.m. until 10 at night, includes performances from The Sandy Bottom Boys, The Beach Rats, Horny Toads and Big Brother.