While St. Patrick's Day was originally celebrated with the color blue, it's no surprise those who love the Emerald Isle love to celebrate the Irish holiday with the color green. Green clothing and accessories, plus shamrocks and four-leaf clovers aren't quite enough sometimes - the Boston River is famously dyed green each year, Shamrock Shakes are a popular treat on the fast food circuit, and breweries, bars and restaurants everywhere are offering ales with a touch of the Gift of Gab.
A holiday celebration on the downtown Gainesville Square means the popular Downtown Drafts craft brewery and wine cafe will be filled with the luck of the Irish. Co-owner Aimee Hoecker said they're ready to serve up green beers of choice.
"We're going to have green beer available both indoors and outdoors this year. We have an awesome event out of the Square all weekend, which is gonna be fantastic just to get festive for St. Patrick's Day and get everybody in to the mood, we've got green PBR inside which is a favorite among domestic beer lovers, and outside we'll have Laughing Skull Lager dyed green, which is out of Atlanta and is also a big favorite for folks," said Hoecker.
The festivities on the Square include two live bands, Let There Be Rock Schools and All I Hear is Birds, who will debut before Redneck Blonde headlines the show Saturday; Sunday, the actual holiday, will be a family fun day on the Square.
Hoecker said it doesn't take a lot to get turn an ale, draught or lager emerald. "All green beer really involves is just food coloring," Hoecker said. "That's all it really takes, just one drop and your beer is a beautiful shade of green."
Those who frequent Food Truck Friday at the Lake Lanier Olympic Rowing Venue will see the green beer flowing. Tap It! will be on location at Friday's event with green beer, however co-owner Zach Thompson said the store won't carry the festive drink this holiday weekend.
The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow may be down on Atlanta Highway, as Left Nut Brewery plans a St. Patrick's Day event at their brewery in Chicopee. According to a Facebook event by the brewery, they'll serve their own Black River Stout on Saturday to celebrate the holiday.
Also in the mix at Left Nut, Jake Brown Music will entertain early in the day, followed by WhiskeyDawgs in the evening; Gonzo Gourmet will be serving their "farm to food truck" selection all day.
No word on whether or not a green beer will keep pinching fingers away, though.
