Get your green on at St. Patrick’s Day Festivals in San Francisco and Sacramento, enjoy a maritime adventure in Oakland, and plan out your spring planting in Berkeley. There is so much to do as the fun abounds along the Capitol Corridor!
St. Patrick’s Parade and Festival: 3/17, San Francisco
Happening: 10am – 5pm
Head over to San Francisco this Saturday for the West Coast’s largest celebration of Irish culture and heritage at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival. The festival will be jam packed with activities showcasing the very best in Irish history and culture. Enjoy live performances, arts and crafts exhibitors, food and beverage concessions, children’s rides, and booths representing the Irish community. The annual parade will begin at 11:30am, at the corner of Market and Second streets, where over 5,000 participants from all over the country will ride on colorful floats, along with Irish dance troupes, marching bands, and more. Parade watchers will also see many local political and business leaders proudly marching along Market Street. This colorful San Francisco event is the largest St. Patrick’s Day festival west of the Mississippi, attracting more than 100,000 people each year, so be sure get there early.
Getting there: Depending on your station of origin, take the Capitol Corridor’s dedicated connecting bus from Emeryville to the Transbay Temporary Terminal. You can also take the Capitol Corridor to the Richmond Station or Oakland Coliseum Station, connect to BART,and ride to downtown San Francisco’s Civic Center Station, which is just a short walk to Civic Center Plaza.
St. Patrick’s Day Parade: 3/17, Sacramento
Happening: 11:30am – 3pm
Join the colorful marchers in a festive Irish celebration at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in historic Old Sacramento. There will be over 50 parade entries with nearly 1,000 marchers. Viewers will see Irish dancers in elaborate Celtic costumes, bagpipers, bands, military regiments, police and fire representatives, historic re-enactors, and a variety of cultural organizations bringing out the luck of the Irish! The parade begins at 1pm from Neasham and Front streets, and will weave through Old Sacramento and throughout the national historic landmark district.
Getting there: Take the train to the Sacramento Station, which is short five-minute walk to Old Sacramento.
Tall Ships: 3/16 – 3/25, Oakland
Happening: Times vary
Bring the whole family and enjoy a maritime adventure on Tall Ships at Oakland’s Jack London Square public docks. The tall ships’ Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain will offer walk-on tours while docked and other exciting maritime adventures at sea! Take a peek into the history of sea transportation, enjoy demonstrations of tall ship handling, and meet the modern day crews that sail these ships. Vessel Tours from the dock will be open to the public for a suggested $5 donation. Sailing guests will require a ticket before they embark on a two or three-hour tour experience. Tours include sailing as it was done for hundreds of years, as well as a battle re-enactment featuring fast-paced maneuvering with live, black powder cannon fire. Schedules and ships are subject to change, so check online or call 1-800-200-5239.
Getting there: Take the Capitol Corridor to the Oakland Jack London Station, which is a short walk to the dock.
Bay Area Seed Swap and Celebration: 3/16, Berkeley
Happening: 7 – 9pm
Re-imagine your garden when you attend Berkeley’s annual Bay Area Seed Swap and Celebration at the Ecology Center in Berkeley. Hosted by the Bay Area Seed Interchange Library (BASIL), the event will provide information about seed libraries and an opportunity to swap home-grown garden seeds. Share a potluck supper and enjoy live music in the company of local gardeners and earth stewards. The event is free if you bring food and seeds to share; otherwise, a $5 to $20 donation is requested. The BASIL Project is part of a growing network of passionate farmers and community gardeners dedicated to conserving the remaining genetic diversity of our planet’s seed stock.
Getting there: Take the Capitol Corridor to the Berkeley Station, and connect to downtown Berkeley on AC Transit with a free Transit Transfer. If you prefer to walk, the Ecology Center is just over a mile from the station.
Written by Sylvia Sheehan
Photo courtesy Steve Restivo Event Services