Green beer, a St. Paddy’s parade and some Irish flavor are on tap this weekend in the Upper Keys.
Irish dancers and green beer return for the 26th annual Upper Keys Irish Fest on Saturday, March 14. Held at Caribbean Club, the festivities will begin at 11 a.m.
The event will feature corned beef and cabbage, as well as green beer courtesy of Islamorada Brewery & Distillery. There will also be Irish dancers taking to the stage during the day, along with live music. Event-goers can also enjoy Irish beer and whiskey, a silent auction and raffles and vendors, while a kids zone will be set up to keep the little tykes busy.
A signature part of the festivities is a parade that starts at noon. Golf carts and vehicles decked in green will ride past viewers in Key Largo. Parade participants will vie for prizes.
The festivities serve as a fundraiser for Teen Intervention Prevention Services (TIPS) of the Florida Keys and its work with Key Largo athletics and Upper Keys students. For more information, visit the Upper Keys Irish Fest Fundraiser and Parade on Facebook.
Patrons visiting Florida Keys Brewing Co. will get their “sham-rock” on Tuesday, March 17 with some St. Patrick’s Day festivities. The free event will feature a live Irish band, the Tullamore Dudes, from 5 to 9 p.m. MEAT Eatery will provide Irish fare from noon to 8 p.m. There will be drink specials, including Irish beers on draft, green sangria and some jello shots packed with some luck.
On Sunday, March 15, the History of Diving Museum will host guided tours at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
These tours are included in your admission price and will feature special highlights of treasure divers and stories of salvaging sunken gold in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. Learn about the most valuable shipwrecks ever discovered, and what divers went through to retrieve such treasures.
Free admission is offered to active duty members of the military, and discounts are available for
veterans, Florida Keys locals and seniors.
