- March 11, 2016
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Paddy O'Furniture vocalist Kerry O'Reilly, fiddler and vocalist Matt Mayes, and mandolin and bouzouki player Andy Crippen provided some of the event's live entertainment. (Photos by Ian Swaby)
Damion Hedington offers free drinks to Palmetto's Ron and Valeria Schaffman.
Lakewood Ranch's 6-year-old Lily Alexander looks on as magician Mike Jones demonstrates a very hot magic trick.
Food and drink stands at the event served items from McGrath's Irish Ale House.
Waterside's 6-year-old Julianna Solomon and Lakewood Ranch's 6-year-old Lily Alexander watch as and magician Mike Jones demonstrates balloon sculptures.
Bagpipe player Ross Allen greets The Fish Hole owner Mike Driscoll.
The festivities also included Ed's Tavern, also co-owned by Bruce Mahnke.
Myakka's Jerome Minton and Ami Bensaid, decided to come help out McGrath's as employees of the former restaurant in the location, MacAllisters Grill & Tavern.
Bagpipe player Ross Allen makes his way through McGrath's.
Catherine Sier and Christina Deacy from Drake School of Irish Dance entertain customers at McGrath's.
11-year-old Daniel Messina from Apollo Beach plays t-ball with a floating ball.
Rosedale's 6-year-old Charlotte Bravo, 6-year-old Alex Helton, and 3-year old Calista Bravo try using the dance platform.
McGrath's offers over 50 Irish whiskeys and offered drink specials during the event.
Lakewood Ranch's Jennifer Volpe and her 5-year-old daughter Ella Volpe play Connect Four.
Sarasota's Ross Allen plays bagpipes at the event.
Sarasota's Robert Weist and Makayla Emanuele decided to grab a table after unexpectedly discovering the event.
Gary and Roberta Kimes, who are moving into Esplanade, came out to enjoy Irish culture.
Lakewood Ranch's Ashley Johnston, Gerilyn Wayman, and Suzanne Chisholm, and Ellenton's Raquel Mitchell celebrate the journey halfway to St. Patrick's Day.
Catherine Sier and 12-year-old Shai Mitzafon from Drake School Irish Dance perform in McGrath's.
Teeling Whiskey employee Jennifer Bruggemann watches a Jenga game being played by Lakewood Ranch's 7-year-old Mason Wood and his father Brian Wood.
McGrath's employee Mae Quinn and McGrath's leprechaun Mike Avery make the rounds on Main Street.
Debbie Kuykendall from Lexington, South Carolina and her friends, St. Pete's Raydonna Tritch and Parrish's Pat Flett, learn about the whiskeys on sale.
Bradenton's 4-year-old Athena Karagiannis examines a Pluto balloon from magician Mike Jones.
Although the Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day on Sept. 17 event did not draw large crowds, many attendees were still representing the spirit of the occasion, arriving dressed in green.
Bruce Mahnke, a co-owner of McGrath's Irish Ale House and Ed’s Tavern, wishes there was more than one St. Patrick's Day.
So he decided to host another.
Halfway to St. Patrick's Day spread a little fun around Main Street at Lakewood Ranch.
“Halfway to St. Paddy's Day is kind of like the training day for St. Patrick's Day," Mahnke said. "It's just another reason to have a good time, to have a party. The Irish are good at that.”
The event included live entertainment, drink specials, food and drink stands, and games and entertainment. Live entertainment was provided by MacSilver’s Irish Pirates Ahoy and Paddy O’Furniture, Sarasota’s Ross Allen on bagpipes, and dancers from different academies including the Finnegan Academy of Irish Dance.
Those who attended said they came to celebrate Irish culture and spend time with others in the community.
Gary and Roberta Kimes said they both enjoyed the event because of having visited Ireland years ago.
“You can walk around with a beer, and I love Irish music,” Roberta Kimes said.
Rosedale’s Carol Helton said that after her family members came to Main Street for the St. Patrick’s Day event six months ago, they wanted to return.
“It’s fun to see people dressed up,” she said.
Sarasota’s Robert Weist and Makayla Emanuele said they both came to play putt-putt at The Fish Hole then decided to stay for the celebrations.
