Downtown New Kensington will be a one-stop shop Saturday for green beer, “leprechaun sangria” and small Irish-inspired plates during the fifth annual St. Patty’s Day Pub Crawl.
Participating business owners, who lauded the event’s success, said it’s a great opportunity to expand customers’ dining horizons.
Johanna Walters and David Atkinson, owners of Blind Pig Saloon, said they have seen repeat business following the event in previous years.
“It exposes them to different venues,” Walters said. “Because some people don’t realize how nice some places are.”
Though Walters said she has not finalized Blind Pig’s menu for the day, it likely will include ham BBQ and soft pretzel bites.
Six area bars — Voodoo Brewing Co., Ash Taphouse, The Blind Pig Saloon, Tortured Souls Brewing Co., The Lamp Post and MJ’s Bar and Grille — will participate in the event.
This year’s pub crawl will be the first for Tortured Souls and The Lamp Post.
Buses will shuttle attendees between the bars from 2 to 6 p.m..
Tickets cost $15 and can be purchased online until Saturday. Last-minute ticket purchases should be made at Ash Taphouse, manager Tara Salem said.
The Taphouse will feature Reuben sandwiches, shepherd’s pie and Guinness beef stew.
“Our special menu is a lot of Irish favorites,” Salem said.
Each participating bar will have a raffle basket and will pitch in for a cash prize for a costume contest, Salem said.
Michelle Thom, manager of Voodoo Brewing, said costume judges will be looking for people “in green or something outrageous,” and despite Saturday’s rainy forecast, the event will go on.
Voodoo will serve it’s Reuben pizza, Reuben poppers, green beer and jello shots. It also will offer “leprechaun sangria” made of white wine, green apple and orange juice.
Thom said people look forward to the crawl all year.
“It’s a good way to bring the community together and go to bars you haven’t been to,” she said.
