As St. Patrick’s Day approaches Tuesday, March 17, a number of events marking the holiday honoring the death of the Patron Saint of Ireland are scheduled this weekend throughout Lewis County.
Winlock
During her report at the Winlock City Council meeting on Monday, March 9, Winlock Mayor Victoria Marincin announced the volunteer group Friends of Winlock and local businesses were organizing a special treasure hunt on Saturday.
“The Luck of the Irish treasure hunt will take place Saturday, March 14, from noon to 2 p.m.,” Marincin said. “It should be a fun community event, and I encourage everyone to come downtown and enjoy the afternoon. Please look for participating stores displaying signs, and check for the posted rules of the game.”
Participating downtown Winlock storefronts will have St. Patrick’s Day-themed stickers on their windows, and visitors to the South Lewis County community are invited to go to these stores during the two-hour period to pick out a special Irish-themed prize for both children and adults.
This is the second holiday-themed event the Friends of Winlock have held so far, with the newly formed volunteer group holding a Valentine’s Day storefront decorating contest last month, as previously reported by The Chronicle.
Chehalis
Meanwhile over in the Mint City on the same day, the Chehalis Parks and Recreation Department is organizing the “Shamrock Shenanigans Fun Run” along with a “Leprechaun Hunt” at Stan Hedwall Park.
“Designed especially for our little ones (ages 7 and under), this Leprechaun Chase makes sure St. Patrick’s Day fun includes kids of all ages,” Chehalis Parks and Recreation said in a Facebook post.
Check-in for families with children looking to participate starts at 8:30 a.m. at the park’s shelter, with registration costing $10 per child for the Leprechaun Hunt, and $35 for those 8 and older also looking to run in the Shamrock Shenanigans Fun Run.
Pre-registration for the Leprechaun Hunt includes a “Luck of the Irish” treasure bag, a chance to catch a “live leprechaun” and cookies and refreshments. Three separate hunts will be held, starting at 9:15 a.m., then 9:45 and 10:15. Families are asked to arrive at least 20 minutes before the hunt they plan on participating in.
All proceeds benefit the Chehalis Seabase High Adventure Youth Crew. For more information or to pre-register, visit the Chehalis Parks and Recreation Department’s website at https://tinyurl.com/2ac2mvcp.
Centralia
In Centralia, O’Blarney’s Irish Pub at the Gibson House will have a live bagpipe performance by the Olympia Highlanders on Saturday, March 14, from 4 to 8 p.m., joined by the Haley Prendergast Irish Dancers starting at 6 p.m. and with DJ AiKibo starting at 9 p.m.
On St. Patrick’s Day Tuesday, the Olympia Highlanders will be performing at the Hub City pub “all day,” according to an O’Blarney’s Facebook post, joined once again by the Haley Prendergast Irish Dancers at 6 p.m.
“Join us at O’Blarney's Irish Pub to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day the right way — with cold beer, great food, and even better company,” O’Blarney’s said on Facebook. “Wear your green, bring your friends and let’s raise a glass together! Sláinte!”
For more information, call O’Blarney’s at 360-807-4581, or message the business on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OblarneysCentralia.
Randle
In East Lewis County, Randle’s Celtic Spirits Speakeasy on U.S. Highway 12 is hosting a St. Patrick’s Day Party featuring a beer pong tournament from 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17, followed by a live Celtic music performance starting at 6 p.m., according to a Celtic Spirits Speakeasy Facebook post.
Speciality cocktails and Irish culinary delights will be on the menu. An Irish potato dinner special for $15 with corned beef and cheddar cheese will also be available.
Additionally, sign up for the beer pong tournament begins at 3 p.m., with prizes for tournament winners.
While minors are welcome in the Celtic Spirits Speakeasy’s dining rooms, the bar area is 21 and up only.
For more information, call Celtic Spirits Speakeasy at 253-568-0737, or message the business on Facebook at https://tinyurl.com/26wy9jaw.
Back to Centralia
For those who missed out on the chance to get some corned beef and cabbage to mark the holiday, the American Legion Grant Hodge Post 17 in downtown Centralia will host its annual Rolly’s Way dinner featuring the Irish dinner staple next weekend from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, March 21.
“Continuing a tradition Rolly proudly carried on for many years,” Grant Hodge Post 17 said on Facebook.
The dinner is held in honor of longtime Grant Hodge Post 17 member and former post cook Roland “Rolly” Badavinac, who died on June 20, 2024, at the age of 90. Badavinac served as an air crew gunner and navigator in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War from 1951 to 1955 after joining the Air Force at the age of 17.
“He cooked steaks up here for years, and his corned beef and cabbage was special and had to be a particular way for him,” Grant Hodge Post 17 Assistant Adjutant Bob Terrell said. “The cabbage had to be done just right, and he really took that to heart. After he got to where he wasn’t cooking, he got really critical of how people did the cabbage.”
While he couldn’t remember how many years Badavinac had been a member of the post, Terrell knew that Badavinac had been a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) for over six decades.
“He was in the VFW longer than he was in the Legion. He was in the VFW for 60-something years,” Terrell added.
The kitchen at Grant Hodge Post 17 is now named the Rolly Kitchen in his honor. The public is invited to attend the Rolly’s Way dinner, with plates costing $12 per person.
Grant Hodge Post 17 Commander Bob Clark asked those who plan on attending to RSVP by calling the post at 360-736-3755 by Monday, March 16, to let post members know they plan on coming, so they can anticipate how much food they’ll need for the dinner.
While the dinner is open to the public, the post’s bar will only serve alcoholic beverages to American Legion members or signed-in guests.
American Legion Grant Hodge Post 17 is located at 111 W. Main St. in downtown Centralia. For more information, visit the post’s website at https://granthodgepost17.org/ or follow it on Facebook.
