Green is in the air where everyone is Irish for the month of March. We are in the land of green donuts, Irish dancers, green fountains, men wearing skirts (I mean kilts), festivals and parades galore. When you are descended from Irish and Scottish heritages this is your favorite time year.  The last couple months we are hanging out in our hometown enjoying the festivities.

Savannah Irish Festival

We started off the festivities at the Irish Festival. This is held about a month before St. Patrick’s day. Believe it or not, our hometown has the second-largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the US and is said to be the best. The Irish festival is full of food, gifts, singing, dancing and lots of beer. Girls favorite was the Irish dancers, and ours was the beer and food.

There are two Irish dancing schools, one extremely competitive, Legacy Irish Dance Academy,  which is sending 16 kids to worlds in Dublin. The second, Irish dancers of Savannah ( in the blue dresses) is the school we danced with when the girls were younger. Both did an amazing job.

Tybee St Patrick Day

The big celebration is the two St Patrick Day parades. Our favorite is the Tybee St. Patrick parade which is normally a week before Savannah’s. This parade is more relaxed, fewer people if you can believe that. The Shriners are a huge part of this parade, with several floats, lots green and beads, and candy.

Everything Else Irish

Don’t forget to watch the Annual turning fountains green in Forsyth Park. St. Patrick’s Day Parade Marshal and his aides and other dignitaries will circle the fountain and dye the water green. It’s fun to see the local kids from various catholic schools help turn the fountain green.  We have watched them try to turn the river green but the tide is too fast and they gave up on that a couple years ago. 

Green donuts from Krispie Kreme is one of my kid’s favorite treats.  It only happens on St. Patrick’s day, March 17th and is really the only donut you can buy. They offer Green glazed and Green creamed filled. Yummy!!

Shamrock Run, Top O’ Morning Run, Kilt and Color Run, are three runs you can participate in if you are the athletic built.  Me, not so much these days but maybe one day when I am done being lazy.  I just love my ice cream way too much and my knees hurt, ok done complaining.

Visit the Budweiser Clydesdales, at the Tanger Outlets the day before the parade. Enjoy free refreshments, face painting and balloon art and lots of fun for the entire family! Come enjoy bagpipers, dancers, and the greening of the fountain at Tanger outlet.

from bowling website – we didn’t make it this year

After the holidays – the Irish Bowling tournament is always fun if you want to hang out after the festivities are over.  We didn’t get to go this year but it is a good time with lots of crazy Irish men and women.