St. Patrick’s Day starts early with activities on Sunday, March 10 at the Sheldon Concert Hall in the Grand Center arts and entertainment district. The talented lads and lasses of St. Louis Irish Art will perform their own Mississippi River dance to lively Irish tunes at 11 a.m. For tickets, visit www.TheSheldon.org or dial 314-533-9900.

Gaelic Storm will take The Pageant concert nightclub by a musical storm on March 15. The group shot to international fame when they appeared in James Cameron’s movie Titanic as the rowdy Irish band in the ship’s steerage area. Their performances reflect the traditional music of the Emerald Isle, but they add modern sounds and influences from rock, pop and international music. For tickets to the 8 p.m. show, click on www.ThePageant.com or call 800-745-3000.

If you’re up early on St. Patrick’s Day, you can lace up your running shoes to take part in the five-mile Michelob ULTRA run. The annual event starts on Broadway outside of the Busch Stadium home of the St. Louis Cardinals and ends with a 500-meter downhill sprit to the finish line in front of the historic Old Courthouse.

After the run, the 43rd Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade steps off with elaborate floats, marching bands and larger-than-life helium balloons on Saturday, March 17 in downtown St. Louis. The festivities begin at noon at 18th and Market streets near St. Louis Union Station and end at Broadway and Market streets. Grab a piece of sidewalk anywhere along the route to see the sights and take part in one of the happiest days of the year with several hundred thousand of your closest friends. For more information, visit www.IrishParade.org or call 314-241-7287.

St. Louis is doubly blessed with Irish parades on St. Patrick’s Day, Saturday, March 17. The Ancient Order of Hibernians hosts its own traditional parade beginning at 12:30 p.m. in the Dogtown neighborhood near St. Louis’ Forest Park. Featuring family clans, marching bands, floats and Irish music and dance, the parade begins and Tamm and Oakland avenues and ends at Tamm and Manchester. This year’s Grand Marshall is former St. Louis Cardinals football great Jackie Smith. Go to www.STLHibernians.com for details.

More Irish-themed fun awaits everyone at the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark Irish Village on March 17. The village is erected in Kiener Plaza at the heart of downtown St. Louis across from the landmark Old Courthouse at Broadway and Market streets. The entertainment area offers food and beverages, Irish merchandise and live entertainment from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Details can be found at www.IrishParade.org or by calling 314-241-PATS.

The Laclede’s Landing entertainment district along St. Louis’ Mississippi Riverfront gets in on the act with festivities from 1 p.m. until the semi-wee hours of 11 p.m. The area’s restaurants, nightclubs and bars will offer Irish-themed food and drinks, including favorites such as Irish Stew and Corned Beef and Cabbage. Outdoor music along the neighborhood’s cobblestone streets will add to the Gaelic atmosphere. Get information at www.LacledesLanding.com or 314-241-5875.

You can add to your Irish experience in St. Louis by visiting attractions connected to the Auld Sod, including the Campbell House Museum. Located at 1508 Locust Street in downtown St. Louis, the Victorian home was the residence of Irish-born fur trader Robert Campbell and his family from 1854 until 1938. Born in County Tyrone in 1804, Campbell amassed a fortune in St. Louis becoming the richest man in Missouri during his lifetime. His original possessions – including furniture, art, decorative items and clothing – are still in the home turned time capsule.

For Additional ideas on finding your “pot of gold” during St. Patrick’s Day, visit these links.

• On March 17, watch the parade and enjoy Irish drinks from Gio’s Risorante’ & Bar patio.
• Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at all five area Llywelyn’s Pub locations.
• Enjoy all the pre-celebration activities of St. Patrick’s Day at Westport Plaza Friday, March 16.
• Join St. Louis Union Station for a concert on the South Plaza Lake Stage featuring Southern Cross and for some good old Irish Fun.
• Head to Bixby’s at the Missouri History Museum for a St. Patty’s Day Recovery Champagne Brunch Sunday, March 18th from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• Anthony’s Bar located at 10 S. Broadway St. Louis, Mo will be open on St. Patrick’s Day before and after the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Whether or not your lovable, furry friend dons an outrageous costume, you’ve gotta head to Soulard to see the 19th Annual Beggin’Pet Parade and “Tailgating Party” on February 12th. With thousands of pets taking over the streets, this is one of the largest pet parades in the world! There’s a small fee to register your pet, but it’s free to watch.

Get Along, Lil Doggies! February 12 is also a beautiful day at Wiener Stadium as gangs of daring Daschunds plot their courses to victory. That’s right sports fans, it’s time for the 2012 PetSmart Wiener Dog Derby, when dedicated doggies compete for athletic supremacy in three “paw-erful” divisions, namely: Cocktail Wienies, Ballpark Franks and Hot Dogs. This event has evolved into one of the most unique and talked about events in the area. Registration begins at 10 a.m. and the first heat takes place at 2 p.m.

Hey Mista, Throw Me Some Beads! The River City Casino Grand Parade takes place on February 18th. The parade features more than 130 units ranging from the large and long standing parade krewes to new participants just getting started with this STL tradition. So this is how it will go down. The parade snakes its way from Busch Stadium to Anheuser-Busch, streets will be lined with hundreds of thousands of revelers crying out for the various beads and other trinkets tossed by float riders.then after the parade, the crowd makes its way into Soulard neighborhood to enjoy food, plenty of drinks, live music and wacky events planned throughout the day. Pretty awesome day isn’t it?

For information on all of the Mardi Gras events taking place throughout St. Louis visit www.mardigrasinc.com.