St. Patrick's day facts:
- St. Patrick was not actually Irish. He was born in Roman Britain and was enslaved in Ireland as a teenager and spent six years there. He later returned and converted most of the country to Christianity, according to the History Channel.
- The first St. Patrick's Day parade took place in New York City in 1762 by Irish soldiers who were serving in the British army.
- According to a report by WalletHub, 13 million pints of Guinness will be sold and consumed on St. Patrick's Day, cabbage sales increase by 70% on the holiday and an estimated total of $4.4 billion will be spent on March 17.
- There are 33.1 million people of Irish descent living in America, which is seven times the population in Ireland.
- According to the Chicago Tribune, it takes 40 pounds of vegetable based dye to turn the river in Chicago green for the city's annual celebration. The whole process takes about 45 minutes.
March 17 calls for wearing green and all things shamrock for St. Patrick's Day. If you're not sure how to celebrate the holiday, which originally started as a feast for the patron saint of Ireland, here are a few things happening in Muncie to get you into the Irish mood.
Parade
The St. Patrick’s Day Parade begins at 6 p.m. on March 17 at the Muncie Central Fieldhouse parking lot. According to the Muncie calendar, the parade route will run to Walnut Street, East on Charles and return via Mulberry.
St. Patrick's Slainte
At 6 p.m. on March 18, Minnetrista will be hosting St. Patrick’s Slainte as part of their After Hours series.
You can celebrate the day and the season by enjoying live Celtic music, Minnetrista catering and a sample of Irish beers. You can also purchase local Wolves Head Brewing beer in the main building. The evening costs $15 and is only open to those 21 and older.
Food
Of course, one of the most famous St. Patrick’s Day promotions is the traditional McDonald’s Shamrock Shake. Always available for a limited time only, you won’t be able to get it after St. Patrick’s Day.
For those looking for something different, Culver’s is offering a dollar off its mint shakes and concrete mixers on St. Patrick’s Day. If you are looking forward to their mint explosion ice cream, it will be the flavor of day on the March 16 and St. Patrick’s Day will feature Chocolate Heath Crunch.
For breakfast, Muncie’s IHOP will be participating in a pancake promotion on March 17. If you wear green from 7 AM to 7 PM, a short stack of pancakes is only a dollar.
Bars
If you're looking to spend the holiday at the bars, Be Here Now is having a Danny Boy Beer Works Tap Takeover. Danny Boy beers will take over six drafts with $3 pints and U-Calls. The bands Lemon Sky and Carmichael will be playing, starting at 10 p.m. The cover charge is $3 for over 21 and $10 for those under. Heorot’s, located in downtown Muncie will also feature a large variety of Scottish and Irish ales.
Shamrock Shuffle
The Shamrock Shuffle on March 19 has both 5k and 10k options for participants. The race will start at 10 a.m. and all finishers will receive a shirt and a medal that doubles as a bottle opener.
At the end of the race, Scotty’s Brewhouse is throwing a party featuring live music and a complimentary first beer for everyone.
Registration is at Scotty’s from 5-7 p.m. on March 18 or 8-9 a.m. the day of the race.
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