Get lucky

St. Patrick’s Day is here—as if you need another excuse to get drunk on a Friday. The most obvious thing to do would be to waltz into de Vere’s Irish Pub (1521 L Street), the most authentically Irish drinking establishment in town, at 9 a.m. for a rich Irish coffee and then linger all day with hundreds of new friends. In this case, the most obvious plan just happens to be a great one, but if you feel like trying something new this year, consider the following:

From 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on March 17, Malt & Mash Irish Pub is throwing an outdoor rager with a beer garden, six additional bars, a bagpipe session at noon and live music from 5 p.m. onward. This decidedly not family-friendly party at St. Rose of Lima Park, right across from the Golden 1 Center, costs $5 to enter. More at www.facebook.com/maltandmash.

The sixth annual St. Patrick’s Day Bartender Speed Competition takes place at Bottle & Barlow (1120 R Street), which is sure to be popular with industry folks. Eight local bartenders will compete head-to-head from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and you can expect some tantalizing, whiskey-based cocktail specials all night. Look for more details at www.facebook.com/bottleandbarlow.

Inject a little all-American action into your Irish fun at Stoney’s Rockin Rodeo (1320 Del Paso Boulevard) with live country music, corned beef and cabbage, and the promise of free, late-night shepherd’s pie. If that mashed potato-and-meat combo doesn’t excite you now, just imagine how it’ll feel after a few $5 car bombs during happy hour. The cover costs $5 for those 21 and over, $10 for the 18-20 set. Visit www.facebook.com/stoneyinn to learn about other specials.

For a more cozy night out, head to Public House Theater (5440 14th Avenue) at 5 p.m. and enjoy a festive dinner of corned beef, cabbage and potatoes paired with a local stout. Highway 50 West will provide the tunes. More at www.facebook.com/publichousetheater.