There’s a reason is calling their latest roundup of events the “Luck of the Irish” edition, but first we have to get to tonight’s events. At 5 p.m., you have your choice of Scrabble Night at the , which runs for two hours, or the ribbon cutting and store discounts at . Then at 6 p.m., Geoff Kaufman plays the second of his “Secret Music” Bonsai Concerts at the Violin Training Gymnasium, accessible by the rear stairway at 300 State Street. You can also RSVP for a private Gerard Bertrand wine tasting at , taking place at the same time; the cost is $10.
And this weekend, there’s celebration in the Eire (and here, of course). Thames River Wine and Spirits kicks things off on Friday by offering Irish cheese, whiskey, and beer at their weekly wine tasting from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. In the morning, has a special brunch starting at 9:30 a.m. with Irish songs by Geoff Kaufman. TDP Art Studio also invites you to meet Carolyn Naegeli Slead, who specializes in Celtic knotwork, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The morning activities give way to the 1 p.m. procession of the , which this year traces a loop down Huntington, Tilley, Bank, and State Streets. Look for the Patch editors in our festive green T-shirts; we’ll be handing these and other goodies out to spectators!
The St. Patrick’s Day events continue into the afternoon and evening. The Public Library of New London has a 3-D shamrock workshop at 2 p.m. For $15, you can also check out the amateur boxing match put on by Heavy Hitters USA at at 6 p.m. Finally, the brings the Celtic tunes of to the at 8 p.m.; a pre-concert lecture starts at 7 p.m., and tickets to the show are $27 to $54.
If Irish music isn’t your thing, you can try out a few other shows in the wake of Saturday’s festivities. The Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra is also holding a free instrumental competition of 12 finalists from music conservatories around the country on Sunday; this starts at 1 p.m. at ’s Evans Hall. An hour later, the Coast Guard Band takes the stage at Leamy Hall at the for a free performance of And as always, 8 p.m. on Mondays brings the Jazz Trio to .
Other things going on this week:
- Acupuncture community clinic, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday at the ; discounted treatments available for $40
- El Sol poetry open mic, 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday at Bean and Leaf
- , 3 p.m. on Sunday at the Garde Arts Center; $4
- Monogrammed onesies class, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday at ; $25 includes all materials, RSVP required
- Chess Knight, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday at the Public Library of New London
