By Jack Arnhold, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Carnival ‘ressaca’ (hangover) is starting to wear off and there’s yet another week of indulgence lined-up, with Saint Patrick’s Day just around the corner on Sunday, March 17th. Here are some of the best Irish-themed events going on this week in the Cidade Maravilhosa.
This Tuesday, March 12th, the Lapa Irish Pub is kicking things off with a free session of live Irish music, which is set to start at 8:30PM. The evening will be led by Banda Tailten, who are a Brazilian band from Niterói that play traditional Irish drinking songs, Sláinte!
The Lapa Irish Pub will also have music from Dois ou Dez at 8PM on Friday, March 15th; an AC/DC and The Who cover band at 7PM on Saturday, March 16th, plus a punk-rock celebration starting at 5PM on Saint Patrick’s Day, Sunday, March 17th, featuring Molly’s Ghost and Punching Namard.
On Wednesday, March 13th, Casarão 1903 in Botafogo will be serving up a combo burger with a green ‘chope’ (draft) beer, with DJ Dieguez playing all the best in British and Irish music. Plus, there will be a drinking contest, with whoever drinks their chope fastest winning another free chope.
Macaco Caolho Irish Pub in Copacabana are also putting on their own Saint Patrick’s Weekend, which starts on Wednesday. There will be extended happy hour deals, discounts on Irish whiskey, green chope beer and live music every night. On Saturday and Sunday, they will be joined on-stage by Sam Crónin of Third Culture, flying in directly from Ireland.
Downtown RJ in Barra da Tijuca are also throwing a week-long festival, from Wednesday to Sunday. They will be hosting some of the best brewers in Rio de Janeiro and Brazil, as well as artisan food trucks and live music.
Among the acts playing at Downtown RJ will be U2 tribute act, U2 Gloria, on Saturday at 9PM. On Saint Patrick’s Day Sunday, Café Irlanda are set to play at 5:30PM, followed by Jimmy & Rats at 7:30PM.
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Festival Cervejeiro Carioca will be putting on a special Saint Patrick’s Day edition of their outdoor beer festival at Rio’s picturesque ‘Lagoa’ (Lagoon). Featuring artisan beer, great food, live music and even a kids space, this should be a wonderful event for all the family.
One of Rio’s most popular alternative nightclubs, Casa da Matriz in Botafogo, will be throwing their very own Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations this Friday, with an entire dancefloor devoted to Celtic punk, rock and pop, plus shots of ‘Whiskey in the Jar,’ beer bongs and green jelly shots.
La Esquina, in Lapa, will be opening their doors on Saturday to a huge Irish party spilling over two floors. For the eighth year running, there will be the green costumes, fake beards, shamrocks and all the other trappings of Saint Patrick’s Day in the center of Rio’s most party-friendly district.
There will also be prizes for best costume, pints and half-pints of green chope, Jameson whiskey, Bailey’s Irish cream, Guinness stout, and much more.