For a full helping of St. Patrick's Day events throughout the weekend as well as next Thursday, click here.

Green day
A discerning guide to achieving the St. Paddy's Day buzz.

By Duni Heimpel

LIKE VALENTINE'S DAY and Mother's Day, St. Patrick's Day is an American fixture. The advantage of March 17 (and usually any weekend in the vicinity) is that instead of chocolates and kisses, you get Irish car bombs (a shot of whiskey dropped into a glass of Guinness), and rather than filling out lovey-dovey cards, you can fill your belly with corned beef sandwiches and cabbage. From block parties to concerts to parades and pub crawls, green fever is set to hit the Bay Area hard this year. Torrents of booze will flow down thousands' throats, fiddles will be played, pipes blown, and food inhaled. We may not dye any of our waterways green, but whether you're after a night of serious drinking or simply a spirited enjoyment of the festivities, this is the place to be. Where in particular? Here are some recommendations. Unless otherwise noted, all events take place March 17.

A great kickoff to a week of St. Paddy's Day exertions is March 13's 153rd St. Patrick's Day Parade. Pushing off from Second and Market Streets with more than 200 performers, including dance troupes and costumed revelers, in its midst, the procession is expected to attract some 100,000 onlookers this year as it makes its way up Market toward Civic Center Plaza, which will host an all-day celebration this year. There you can peruse the concession stands and listen to U2 covers booming from the main stage, courtesy of Zoo Station, and traditional Irish music by Culann's Hounds. Parade 11:30 a.m., festivities 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

If, after the weekend, you've not had your fill of outdoor revelry, come to North Beach pub-restaurant O'Reilly's, which has a decade-long raucous block party tradition to uphold. Starting at 3 p.m., the 10th installment will take over Green Street between Columbus and Powell Streets and promises to surpass the 8,000-plus crowd it had last year. Blue on Green, Colm O'Riain, and Oein Harrington will all play some variation on Irish music, from traditional to bluesy to Irish with a Brazilian twist. A portion of the $10 door fee will go to North Beach Citizens, a group that works with homeless and at-risk people in that neighborhood. 3-11 p.m., 622 Green, S.F. (415) 989-6222, www.oreillysirish.com.

Down in the Financial District, the Royal Exchange will host another St. Paddy's Day street party, closing off part of Front Street and welcoming Wonderbread Five to the stage. An expected crowd of thousands will be enjoying streetside draft beers. Stop into the Royal Exchange for some good Irish whiskey. Festivities 3:30-10 p.m., bar hours 11 a.m.-11 p.m., 301 Sacramento, S.F. (415) 956-1710, www.royalexchange.com.

While it won't be closing down any streets, the Buena Vista Café will no doubt be serving bucket-loads of its famous Irish coffee. Established in 1889 and laying claim to that concoction's invention, the Fisherman's Wharf café gained new renown after hosting the opening scene of When a Man Loves a Woman. If that inspires you to rent the flick (starring Meg Ryan as a raging alcoholic), consider waiting till after March 17 – the spacious bar will likely be deep with folks feverishly reaching out for their whiskeys and Guinness. Bar hours 9 a.m.-2 a.m., 2765 Hyde, S.F. (415) 474-5044, www.thebuenavista.com.

Since opening five years ago at the Mission-Noe bar-restaurant nexus of Guerrero and 22nd Streets, Irish bar and restaurant the Liberties has made a name for itself with a steady neighborhood crowd. On St. Paddy's Day the bar will be filled with revelers enjoying corned beef and cabbage and Irish lamb stew, washing them down with a wide array of Irish beverages, and listening to the sound of Irish bagpipes bouncing off the bar's mahogany surfaces. "You can get started at ten o'clock," manager Kjersti Utting says, "and stay till two, although it might get messy." 998 Guerrero, S.F. (415) 282-6789, www.theliberties.com.

On a day like St. Paddy's, most bars are quick to provide traditional Irish music, with all the pipes and bags that entails. Over in the Inner Richmond, Ireland's 32 will honor that tradition but end the night with one Beatles-loving exception: cover band Ticket to Ride. The crowd promises to be a little less rowdy than some, but if things get out of hand, you can always flee upstairs and hide under the pool tables – or just shoot a nice game or two. Bands 3 p.m.-1 a.m., 3920 Geary, S.F. (415) 386-6173, www.irelands32sanfrancisco.com.

Speaking of which, if you're feeling sporty and don't mind an early start time, Cole Valley's Kezar Pub might be your place. You'll come for the Irish championship football, hurling, and March Madness kickoff on TV, and you'll stay for the black and white pudding. As day turns to night, don't be surprised to hear owner Cyril Hackett – who hails from Donegal, a hotbed of Irish music – belt out some tunes with his partner in crime, Sinead Doherty. Bar hours 6 a.m.-2 a.m., 770 Stanyan, S.F. (415) 386-9292.

Back in the Mission, a good group of loony revelers will undoubtedly crowd the keyhole-shaped bar at Clooney's for a vast selection of Irish drinks, including the sweet-and-sour crazy leprechaun. That concoction of whiskey, gin, lemon juice, and sugar will provide a nice shot to the dome to complement the live music. And if you're in the area earlier in the day, stop by for a corned beef and cabbage lunch. Bar hours 6 a.m.-2 a.m., 1401 Valencia, S.F. (415) 826-4988, www.clooneyspub.com.

Lest we neglect the East Bay, we must mention its oldest Irish pub, McNally's, founded in 1933 and likely to completely go off on St. Paddy's. The management will remove the bar stools and pool table to make room for the All Island Pipe Band, an ensemble with three drummers and seven pipes scheduled to commence playing around 7:30 or 8 in the evening. However, McNally's owner Sean Cahill invites celebrants to come down for corned beef sandwiches and drinks throughout the day. Bar hours 10 a.m.-2 a.m., 5352 College, Oakl. (510) 654-9463.

Also on that side of the bay, Beckett's will be offering up a mighty helping of eats and drinks. Chef Larry Doyle will be proudly serving corned beef and cabbage and a beef-and-Guinness stew, to be washed down, naturally, with a nice Harp. And if you've left the house without your touch of green, fret not: the staff will be handing out party favors including, but not limited to, big green shamrock hats. 4 p.m.-1:30 a.m., 2271 Shattuck, Berk. (510) 647-1790, www.beckettsirishpub.com.

And lastly, those in search of an alternative to the madness (and there are many) might try the Palace of Fine Arts' Gala Irish Night. "More sober and mature" is how O'Reilly's owner Fiachra O'Shaughnessy describes the concert vocalist Mary Black will give. One of Ireland's most popular contemporary singers for the past 20 years, Black will be visiting San Francisco for the first time in five years, thanks to the cosponsorship of O'Reilly's and Cafe du Nord. 8 p.m., 3301 Lyon, S.F. $35-$40. For tickets go to www.ticketweb.com or call O'Reilly's at (415) 989-6222.

Duni Heimpel will be putting his hardened liver to the test on St. Patrick's Day.