What’s up: St. Patrick’s Day events

The Dust Rhinos

• West End Cultural Centre, 586 Ellice Ave.
• Sunday, 8 p.m.
• Tickets: $25-30 plus fees at wecc.ca

St. Paddy’s Day is basically Superbowl Sunday for Winnipeg Celtic-rock outfit the Dust Rhinos.

In fact, in an interview with the Free Press in 2024, founder and leader singer Blair McEvoy figured he hasn’t had March 17 off since, oh, the year 2000.

The band has a private gig on St. Patrick’s Day proper, but McEvoy, Dan Cannon (bass), Darren Wittmann (drums), Ryan Spracklin (mandolin and fiddle) and Ivanka Watkin (fiddle) want to party with you on Sunday at the WECC, where they will be performing what they’ve dubbed the Cross Canada Celtic Songbook. (Home for a Rest is probably a setlist safe bet.)

The show is all ages.

— Jen Zoratti

 

St. Patrick’s Fest 2026

• Salle Jean-Paul Aubry Hall , CCFM, 340 Provencher Blvd.
• Saturday, 5:30 p.m. to midnight
• Tickets:$10-$20 at mcconnelldancers.com

CCFM’s Salle Jean-Paul Aubry Hall will turn green this weekend in advance of St Patrick’s Day on Tuesday.

To honour the patron saint of the Emerald Isle, Saturday’s festival is an extravagance of “continuous entertainment” featuring McConnell Irish Dancers, Barefoot Ceili Band and Enaid.

Sustenance comes in the form of homestyle pies – beef or cheese and onion — hearty corned beef sandwiches and potatoes three ways: mashed, chipped or in a soup. Wash it all down with a pint of Guinness or a dram of Irish whiskey from the well-stocked bar.

Other highlights include a silent auction and 50/50 raffle. Entrance is via the northeast corner of the building — directly at the Jean-Paul Aubry Hall — and not through the main doors at CCFM. Entertainment runs until 11 p.m.

— AV Kitching

 

Not-A-St.-Patrick’s-Day Party

• Devil May Care Brewing Co., 155-A Fort St.
• Friday and Saturday, noon-11 p.m.
• Free

If you’re feeling a bit Scrooge-ish about St. Paddy’s Day celebrations, to mix holidays, Devil May Care Brewing Co. is serving up beers for humbugs this weekend.

The brewery’s Not-A-St.-Patrick’s-Day party is as much about what’s on the menu as what ain’t.

First, among what to expect are two new small-batch brews from Devil May Care — the London N5 Red IPA and, as of press time, a yet-to-be-named smoked porter. There will be whisky/whiskey features all weekend, including on Jameson (in case you’re feeling just a wee bit Irish) and music from Norman Breaks (Friday only).

And for those feeling peckish, Devil May Care’s longtime collaborators Freebirds Kitchen will be serving up bannock dogs and tacos from 4 to 10 p.m. each day.

Now, what you won’t find: green beer, “kiss me I’m Irish” T-shirts, traditional music being piped over the sound system or corporate mega-brewery Irish stouts.

And if it weren’t clear by now: no, you obviously needn’t wear green.

— Ben Sigurdson

 

St. Patrick’s Day at the Irish Association

• Irish Association of Manitoba, 654 Erin St.
• Tuesday, 11:30 a.m.

Skip work on Tuesday and head down to the West End for an all-day St. Patrick’s Day party hosted by Manitoba’s Irish cultural community centre.

The Irish Association of Manitoba festivities will include an ecumenical service, Irish and set dancing, live music, bag piping and traditional food available for purchase.

The annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade is also scheduled to take place on Saturday, with revellers meeting at the Irish Association and departing at 10 a.m.

Check Facebook (@irishassociationmanitoba) or visit irishassociationofmanitoba.ca for more information.

— Eva Wasney

 

Running green

• Lord Roberts Community Centre (725 Kylemore Ave.)
• Saturday, 7:30 a.m.
• Registration: $66 for races, $13 for kid’s run

You don’t have to wait until spring’s officially sprung to take part in your first race of the year. On Saturday, lace them up for the Manitoba Runners’ Association’s 14th annual People’s St. Paddy’s Day Fun Run at Lord Roberts Community Centre – named after the Anglo-Irish commander of British forces during the Second Boer War.

Take part in the kids run (8:45 a.m.), the five-mile (9 a.m.) or the 5k (9:15 a.m.) races by registering at mraweb.ca or emailing Guy Madill (guysmadi@mymts.net). A Celtic breakfast will be served at 10 a.m. Proceeds from the event go to the Risen Son Recovery Program. Wear green, and watch out for snakes.

— Ben Waldman

 

Emo Night Winnipeg: St. Patrick’s Day Edition

• Park Theatre
• Saturday, 10 p.m.
• Tickets $15 at emonightnorth.co

In the 2000s, all emo kids needed was American Football on cassette, a mickey of Jameson and a deserted parking lot to celebrate St. Paddy’s. But, as the joke goes, the patch you’re now most likely to find on their backs isn’t an Alexisonfire iron-on but a Tylenol pain reliever.

There’s also less need to party in parking lots anymore: Winnipeg, once again, has no shortage of excellent venues for punk, emo and hardcore, such as Sidestage and its neighbour the Park Theatre, which attract scene veterans and newbies alike.

On Saturday, the Park graces Winnipeggers with one of hardcore’s elder statesmen, Liam Cornier. He’s singer for Cancer Bats, Canada’s most eminent hardcore punk bands, and is DJing the St Paddy’s themed party. It won’t be your typical four-to-the-floor dance party, as he’ll be spinning classic emo anthems, so maybe expect more nostalgic chanting than infectious dancing.

— Conrad Sweatman