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St. Patrick's Day in Colorado

By Julie Poppen, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published March 17, 2008 at 12:30 a.m.
Updated March 17, 2008 at 6:19 a.m.

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An estimated 5,000 hearty souls turned out Sunday to participate in the annual Runnin' Of the Green through LoDo. Money raised by the 7-kilometer (4.4-mile) run benefits Volunteers of America. Following the race, which concluded at McCormick's Fish House, a huge block party was held with live music and traditional Irish food.

Photo by Javier Manzano / The Rocky

An estimated 5,000 hearty souls turned out Sunday to participate in the annual Runnin' Of the Green through LoDo. Money raised by the 7-kilometer (4.4-mile) run benefits Volunteers of America. Following the race, which concluded at McCormick's Fish House, a huge block party was held with live music and traditional Irish food.

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People celebrating St. Patrick's Day this weekend had the luck of the Irish on their side as the snow waited a day to allow some early reveling:

Runnin' Of the Green

Russ McMinn knows - in excruciating scientific detail - what green beer can do to a person's insides.

Still, knowledge didn't prevent the 21-year-old microbiology student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from deciding Saturday night to join the 20th Runnin' Of the Green in lower downtown Denver.

Sunday morning, he donned his green shirt, huddled with friends against the morning chill and prepared to run 7 kilometers - about 4.4 miles.

He runs sometimes, he said, "but not often enough for this to be easy."

Friend Eryn Gallagher, 25, a seventh-grade teacher in Denver, surveyed the sidewalks and streets teeming with green wigs, hats, T-shirts, tiaras and devil horns.

"It's a short race and for a good cause," Gallagher said. "I love the bagpipes."

Money raised at the event benefits Volunteers of America. Organizer Terry McGrath said an estimated 5,000 people participated.

"It's the same fun as we always have, only more," he quipped.

Payton Batliner won the men's division with a time of 20:51, and Shannon Payne won the women's division, clocking in at 24:49.

Serpent Festival

Maze, the corn snake, wasn't green, but more of a burnt orange with red eyes and a darting tongue.

Still, the Denver Zoo once again on Sunday capitalized on St. Patrick's Day lore that St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland.

Snakes were on display in the zoo's Tropical Discovery building, including Rosy, a big boa constrictor who was expected to make a couple appearances.

"I don't think there are any green snakes in Colorado," zoo docent Carolyn Duncan said.

Bryan Mitchell, 11, a fifth-grader from Boulder, isn't big on wearing green clothing, but he did want touch a snake.

"It was kind of wet in a way," he said. "And a little cold."

For ophidiophobes in the crowd, scale-less Irish step dancers gave a rousing performance at the zoo's entrance early Sunday afternoon.

Getting ready to party

The beer tent was sleepy Sunday, the sound stage quiet and the rows of portable toilets lineless. But St. Patrick's revelers still began trickling into this well- known Irish pub by midday.

It is, after all, the site of today's "Official Green Party" for this year.

Denver resident Kelly Sample, 40, convinced an old friend from Arvada West High School to visit so they could celebrate together.

Friend Tracey Carson now lives in Idaho, outside Boise.

The two ate reubens after walking a shorter version of the nearby Runnin' Of the Green in tall hats that looked like frothy beer mugs.

They had planned to walk "the green mile," an area containing Irish bars that someone told them about. However, they weren't entirely sure it was real. They were suspicious, they said, because they had not yet encountered any green beer.

"We're going to cruise around here and have a blast, then take the light rail and go home later," Sample said.

On tap today

* Brass Bagpipes and Co.: 7:30 p.m. at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts, 2344 E. Iliff Ave. Tickets range from $20 to $41. denverbrass.org

* The Official Green Party: Starts at noon at Fado Irish Pub, 1735 19th St. The tent party includes beer and Irish dancers. Live music featuring a variety of bands from noon to 11 p.m. fadoirishpub.com/denver/ or 303-297-0066

* Fourth Capitol Hill Hooley: 11 a.m. to close at the Irish Snug, 1201 E. Colfax Ave. Event features a heated outdoor tent with food, dancing, bar service and an entertainment schedule that includes pipe bands, step dancers and more. 303-308-1795

* Jus Cookin's Restaurant: The restaurant is celebrating 20 years in business and serving 20 tons of corned beef, including more than 2,500 pounds this year. The restaurant, in a yellow farmhouse at Simms Street and Eighth Place in Lakewood, is open until 9 p.m. juscookins.com