With a kick-off that’s less than 10 days away, now is the time to mark your calendar and make plans to take part in the most authentic St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Central Florida: The Mighty St. Patrick’s Festival at Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant at Disney Springs. (I’d suggest you circle the dates—March 16-19, 2017—in green pen!)

The team at Americas #1 Irish Pub takes the holiday seriously and recently shared their top tips on how to “celebrate like the Irish:”

  • Please don’t call the holiday “St. Patty’s.” It’s either “St. Patrick’s Day” or “St. Paddy’s.”
  • A shamrock has three leaves (not four – that would be a clover).
  • Americans invented the St. Patrick’s Day parade in 1737 in Boston.
  • Most Irish pubs do a full month’s business on St. Patrick’s Day.
  • Guinness sells 13 million pints on St. Patrick’s Day versus the usual 5 million daily.
  • Green beer is an American invention. Raglan Road does not serve green beer.

Though green beer isn’t on the menu, a full line-up of entertainment is on tap, along with a mighty selection of beers, spirits and craft cocktails served alongside exceptional Irish fare.

New to the Raglan Road stage this year, the Young Dubliners will bring their hearty rock and Irish-infused tunes to the celebration, as will the Byrne Brothers, featuring brothers Luca, 12, Finn, 10, and Dempsey, 7; expect them to dazzle the audience with fun interactions during their sets. Rounding out the entertainment schedule are HanaLena Band, The Raglan Roots Coalition, Swingin’ On the Gate, Rollickin’ Rua and the Raglan Road Irish Dancers. For the full entertainment listing, visit raglanroad.com.

On the food and beverage front, guests can order from popular brunch, lunch, bar and dinner menus, including loin of bacon and cabbage, the authentic Irish dish of St. Patrick’s Day. My favorite continues to be the pub’s fish and chips, which will be available throughout the weekend in the main dining room as well as at the nearby Cooke’s of Dublin Counter-service eatery. Pair your selection with Guinness, the new Mighty Festival brew (a collaboration with the local Orange Blossom Brewing Co.) or a Bailey’s Shake for the perfect combo.

Irish holiday attire is encouraged, but for those who need an extra dose of shamrock flair, complimentary face painting will be available from noon – 8 p.m. daily during the festival.

Please note: On March 17, St. Patrick’s Day, guests will be seated on a first-come, first-served basis with a cover charge of $10 for each guest age 18 and older. To make reservations for other festival days, call 407-938-0300.

The festivities take place from 11 a.m. until 2 a.m. March 16-19, 2017. Will you be celebrating at Raglan Road this St. Patrick’s Season? If so, share your photos with us on Twitter and Instagram using hashtag #DisneySprings for your chance to be featured on our social media feeds. Sláinte!