Staff at ARC’s No 60 café are preparing to celebrate their first St. Patrick’s Day event with a few drops of the black stuff and plenty of craic.
The venue has been running monthly food events since the autumn, but its first St Patrick’s Day celebration on Thursday 17 March is set to top them all.
Four Middlesbrough-based Irish session musicians will be heading along to play a selection of traditional Irish songs and instrumentals played on the fiddle, guitar and bodhrán – Ireland’s drum like instrument heard in most traditional songs.
Hartlepool-based singer songwriter Jeff Butterfield will be performing a set of Irish tunes too, expect all the favourites including The Wild Rover, Whiskey in the Jar and Molly Malone.
Some tasty Guinness and steak stew will be available with home made soda bread and special edition bottled Guinness, and some themed drinks.
A spokesperson for ARC commented: “St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated all over the world, and we wanted to offer the residents of Stockton and beyond, a chance to come and celebrate with us. We’re joining cities such as Chicago, where the river is literally is dyed green, Sydney, where the Opera House is lit up green and parts of Canada and The Caribbean where it is even a national holiday! We’ve also found out that parades and celebrations take place as far away as Japan and Israel, to Spain even Russia, so we really are joining in the international celebrations.”
They continued: “Many people in Teesside have Irish roots and we’re hoping that they will come along and enjoy themselves. We’ve invited some brilliant local musicians and will be serving some hearty food, and of course, plenty of Guinness.”
The event starts at 7pm and tickets cost just £5, which includes food and entertainment.