Where, When & How to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Washington, D.C., 2012

Will you be able to corral the luck of the Irish into finding a great way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year? Having shed its religious origins, the holiday spawns festivities of all kinds, most having to do with prolific assimilation of sips and suds. Many bars around Washington, D.C. will be running specials for the holiday (which falls on a Saturday this year – watch out!). Check our our list below so you can best plan your Gaelic gaiety. Slainte!

Bar Dupont: All-day $10 specialty cocktails including The Irish 350 (celebrating the first St. Paddy’s Day parade in the U.S. 350 years ago with a 350-proof combo of Bacardi Limon, Southern Comfort, Smirnoff, Grand Marnier, creme de cacao, OJ, Sprite); $15 Irish brunch menu

Black Jack: Pre-release party for Port City Brewing Revival Stout, 2–4 PM; $55 per person

Blue Banana: Open at 7 PM; Guinness and Killian’s Irish Red specials; shot specials for those wearing green; live music

Burger, Tap & Shake: $4 pints of Flying Dog Lucky SOB Irish Red Ale

Capitol City Brewing: Irish Shindig featuring a stout and red ale tapping as well as Irish food; $4 pints from 11 AM-close

Graffiato: $10 Beautiful Day cocktails (Jameson, ginger beer, Guinness Spice liqueur, lime)

The Queen Vic: Open at 10 AM; $5 Guinness drafts; Irish food specials; free gift for personal tabs over $40 (while supplies last)

Restaurant Eve: $35 Ancient Celtic lunch includes smoked mackeral salad, corned beef sandwich, Guinness and tracle cake and St. Patrick’s Whey cocktail

Rhino Bar: $8 Miller Lite and Coors Light pitchers; $3.75 Cuervo and Captain Morgan drinks; $6 Jägerbombs and Red Bull zingers; 25-cent wings

Rocket Bar: Open at noon; no cover; $4 Smithwick’s drafts from 4–7 PM

Union Pub: No cover; $11 green beer pitchers; $3 green beer drafts; $6 car bombs; $4.50 Jameson shots; Irish nachos, bangers ‘n’ mash, corned beef sandwiches