It’s almost time for Mardi Gras, which is French for Fat Tuesday! This is the party to end all parties because the next day is Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent), which also happens to land on Valentine’s Day. Since chocolate is out of the equation, Christian couples might celebrate their love with smudges of ash on their foreheads. And on Easter, make sure you double check your basket for pranks since it falls on April Fools’ Day. So on “Fat” Tuesday, February 13th make sure you head to the Irish Pub, in downtown Lewisburg, for their 11th Annual Mardi Gras Celebration. From 3pm until midnight, there will be a tap takeover, plentiful food, free beads, door prizes throughout the day/night, and a wise crackin’ good time w/ New Orleans’ musicians, Beth Patterson and Josh Paxton aka the Zoukeys!

New Belgium Brewing is taking over the Irish Pub taps with their Voodoo series, which consists of 4 different beers! The pub suggests you pair two of the New Belgium brews with their New Orleans’ Spicy Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo. They also recommend you pair the other two brews with their Mardi Gras King Cake.  The New Belgium beers will be served on flights (that is a 4 oz. serving of four beers) for $7. They will also have a package deal where you can get the beer flights, a cup of gumbo, and a slice of king cake for $15!

Beth Patterson and Josh Paxton are coming back by popular demand. They will be playing both Monday, Feb 12 – Lundi Gras (the day before Mardi Gras) from 7p-11p, and on Mardi Gras from 8p-12a. They will perform what they describe as “an intricate style of bouzouki and piano!” In addition to some new original material that they are developing together, Josh invites Beth out of her comfort zone with music by Chick Corea and James Booker. The duo has also been rearranging some recognizable tunes. He encourages her to play jazz and she makes him play Rush and things in crazy Arabic scales. Also on Mardi Gras, Patrick O’Flaherty will play traditional Irish music before the duo from 5:30p-8p. Patrick was raised in the Galway’s Gaeltacht on the rugged west coast of Ireland. He is part of a select group of people who native language is Gaelic.

Don’t miss the party to end all parties this year at the Irish Pub! There will be free beads and you are encouraged to wear costumes or masks if you are so inclined. Door prizes will be given out throughout the evening! The Irish Pub is located at 1030 E. Washington Street. For more info, visit irishpubonwashingtonstreet.com or give them a ring at 304-645-7386.

– HashtagWV #98. February 2018.