East Deer, Lower Burrell gear up for big St. Patrick's Day events in the Alle-Kiski Valley

Two large St. Patrick’s Day celebrations are being held in the Alle-Kiski Valley on Saturday, March 16.

St. Patrick’s Day weekend will see the largest event to date at Pittsburgh Brewing Co.’s East Deer headquarters.

Irish City Celebration, an almost-all-day event, is expected to draw nearly 2,000 — more than East Deer’s population — to the brewing company’s state-of-the-art brewery/event center.

“We have many local businesses getting involved in the parade making floats, along with other local municipalities getting their police departments and fire stations involved with the parade,” said Rachel Semelbauer, brewery spokeswoman.

She said the celebration will be the brewery’s biggest public event so far.

The brewery’s first big public event, an Oktoberfest in September, drew about 800.

The celebration of all things Irish kicks off with a Kegs and Eggs breakfast from 8 to 10 a.m. Entertainment continues through 4 p.m., with a parade at 10:30 a.m. along Freeport Road and Ferry Street. Bands booked for the event include the Bastard Bearded Irishmen and Lenny Collini/Family Pack.

Irish City looks to be a big event for East Deer, too.

East Deer Commissioner Tony Taliani said the brewery coordinated with PennDOT to make appropriate plans for traffic control for the parade.

“I have confidence they will make the necessary planning for the safety of their guests and residents of the township,” Taliani said.

Tickets are sold out, but Semelbauer said people could buy a ticket upon arrival to the parade depending on capacity. Tickets are $15 and include a T-shirt and one free green beer.

Expect traffic delays on Freeport Road for the parade.

The parade units will form in East Deer Memorial Park at 700 Front St. The parade will travel along Freeport Road to the brewery about a half-mile away.

Officials said the traffic disruption should occur between 10:30 and 11 a.m.

“We are thrilled that (East Deer) was willing to block the roads off for the parade and get a lot of smaller businesses involved in the parade when they might not be able to get involved with (Pittsburgh’s) parade,” Semelbauer said. “We are praying for some good weather so everyone in the nearby townships can come and celebrate and have a fun day with their family and friends.”

Semelbauer said the brewery has security in place, parking attendants and the Allegheny Valley Regional Police Department to “ensure a smooth flow of traffic and safety.”

While the Kegs and Eggs breakfast and parade are for all ages, the rest of the day is for people 21 and older. In addition to music, there will be food trucks, games, green beer and “other shenanigans,” Semelbauer said.

Semelbauer said the brewery hopes the Irish City Celebration grows each year.

Taliani said events at the brewery are positive for the township.

“We’re very happy to see events like that in our community.”

Tickets for next year’s Irish City might be a little more expensive. Township supervisors are expected to vote later this month to enact a 5% amusement tax that would apply to tickets to similar events.

Future events there could be even bigger. The brewery is planning to build a concert venue on the property that could hold as many as 6,000.

Lower Burrell parade

The biggest parade in the Alle-Kiski Valley on March 16 might be Lower Burrell’s fourth annual St. Patrick’s Day parade along Leechburg Road. The parade will start at 11 a.m. at Stewart Elementary School and end at Hillcrest Plaza, event organizer Leslie Zellers said.

More than 40 groups are signed up to participate and sign-ups still are being accepted, Zellers said. People can sign up on the event’s Facebook page. Registration is free.

It’s shaping up to be the largest St. Patrick’s Day parade Lower Burrell has had to date, Zellers said.

“That’s really a wonderful thing for our community. A lot of businesses and organizations want to get their name out there and show their support,” she said.

Zellers and co-organizer Terry McClain started the event during the covid-19 lockdown as a way to celebrate in a safe and socially distanced way.

This year’s event also is poignant, Zellers said, in light of the death of David “Mogie” Magill. Magill was shot and killed outside his restaurant, Mogie’s Irish Pub, on Dec. 21. Magill was a strong supporter of local organizations, including the St. Patrick’s Day parade, Zellers said.

The first St. Patrick’s Day parade was in jeopardy of not happening until Magill got involved, Mayor Chris Fabry said. City council this week proclaimed St. Patrick’s Day “Mogie Day” in the city.

“His spirit of community service and giving back is something we want to perpetuate,” Zellers said.

The parade is a family-friendly event and, in previous years, has attracted hundreds of people, she said.

“The Alle-Kiski Valley is an amazing place to live, and people support things like this and participate,” she said. “It’s getting back to that wonderful, small-town feeling that we all know and love.”