2015 Minneapolis & St. Paul St. Patrick's Day Guide

Hitting the town for St. Patrick's Day? Metro Transit is offering free rides after 6 p.m. Tuesday. Better yet, find a friend who hasn't registered for Uber and make them sign up with the promo code STPAUL to get your group a free ride home.

Parades/block parties

LuckyPalooza: Visit Saint Paul throws its Lucky­Palooza block party Saturday, taking over two blocks of W. 7th Street on the edge of downtown. Expect outdoor music, food and drink, plus a stunt-bike show, while McGovern's, Burger Moe's and Cossetta throw coinciding tent parties. (2-11 p.m. Sat. W. 7th St., St. Paul. www.visitsaintpaul.com.)

St. Paul St. Patrick's Day Parade: For those eager to catch a few rays (weather permitting), St. Paul's parade starts Tuesday at noon — so head out and get those freckles poppin'. Suggested sites to soak up the sun and view the parade: Rice Park, Landmark Plaza or the sunny stretches along 5th Street. (Noon Tue. www.stpatsmn.org.)

Minneapolis St. Patrick's Day Parade: Over in Minneapolis, they'll get the Irish show on the road at 6:30, following Nicollet Mall from 11th to 5th Streets. (6:30 p.m. Tue. www.mplsstpats.org.)

Concert Boiled In Lead: These Irish-and-Appalachian-inspired Celt-rock vets are back for their 32nd annual St. Patrick's Day concert. This year they're turning the Cedar Cultural Center green. (7:30 Tue. $12-$15. 416 Cedar Av. S., Mpls. www.thecedar.org.)

Bars/pubs

Kip's Irish Pub: This St. Louis Park pub has invited KDWB to broadcast its morning show from the restaurant on St. Paddy's Day. They've got Irish dancing, bagpipes and green beer going on all day. (6:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m. Tue. 9960 Wayzata Blvd., St. Louis Park. www.kipspub.com.)

O'Gara's Bar & Grill: Catering to St Patrick's Day cynics or simply partyers looking to get straight to the boozin', this St. Paul bar is hosting their annual "world's shortest parade" at 3 p.m. Tue. They're offering a variety of live music all night in the Shamrock Room, their outdoor tent and the Shanty. (11 a.m.-11 p.m. Tue. 164 Snelling Av. N., St. Paul. www.ogaras.com.)

Patrick McGovern's Pub: This bar's got three DJs playing at 3 p.m. in the "Big Tent," upstairs, and on the main level both Saturday and Tuesday. On Tuesday the pub opens at 8:30 a.m. and you can wash the Guinness down with corned beef and cabbage. The Minnesota Police Pipe Band plays at 1 p.m., just after the St. Paul parade. (10 a.m.-close Sat., 8:30 a.m.-close Tue. 225 W. 7th St., St. Paul. www.patmcgoverns.com.)

Morrissey's Irish Pub: Morrissey's second anniversary party begins with a medallion hunt on Saturday. Hunters hoping to win the $500 prize pick up clues at Morrissey's and neighboring bars, while the medallion is stashed somewhere within city limits. Come back on St. Paddy's Day proper for daylong live music, including the Minnesota Police Pipe Band. (913 W. Lake St., Mpls. www.morrisseysuptown.com.)