You have made it through the snow, survived past your unobtainable New Year's Resolutions, frantically hunted via Tindr/Grindr for that special Valentine's date and then finally discovered that March has arrived -- and you, like a lion, feel the urge to roar in our (slightly) warming air. So what do you do?
Well, I will tell you what you do. You join others who are ready to rebel against the chill by lifting a pint in the open downtown air. You toast to the fact that you survived another winter.
Locally we have come to call this rite of passage Irish On Ionia in honor of St. Patrick's Day even though your green beer betrays the fact that you're not of Irish descent. Still, at IOI you are drinking good beer out on Ionia Street with thousands of others who come to toast the good brews that define our city. (You can still get your green beer but honestly, why are you when so much great beer is available here.)
On stage throughout the day the 20,000 attendees who are drinking beer and noshing on biodegradable products (later diverted from landfills) will enjoy music by Paddy's Cure, Arden Academy of Dance, The Saltbound, Tosspoints, Stone Clover, and many guest DJ's like Sean Boney.
Irish on Ionia, Michigan's largest St. Patty's Day street party, celebrates its fifth year and will be bigger than ever, stretching from Oakes to Fulton and adding a section of Weston and Commerce as well. And in case you "stretch" too far in your drinking, as can be the case, then the folks at Barfly Ventures want you to consider a deal brokered with Uber to get you safely home. (http://www.irishonionia.com/#ticketsandinfo)
By purchasing a ticket to IOI you also are supporting a great cause: Camp O'Malley.
Camp O'Malley offers to our city's kids a week at summer camp where they can be out in nature, learn skills to be independent individuals, try new things, and breathe in the fresh air while getting exercise. And like Irish on Ionia, it's also a place where new friendships are born.
Admission: From $15 and up.
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