Molly McHugh’s Celebrating 25th Annual St. Paddy’s Day Party
by James Coulter
What makes for a more authentic St. Patrick’s Day celebration than consuming authentic Irish food and spirits while listening to authentic Irish music performed at an authentic Irish pub?
Enjoy a truly authentic St. Patrick’s Day experience at Molly McHugh’s 25th Annual St. Paddy’s Day Party, to be hosted this holiday weekend on Sat., Mar. 13.
Starting at 2 p.m., Downtown Lakeland’s own Irish pub will be offering traditional Irish tunes as performed by the all-Irish Black Velvet Band. Drop on by during the day to listen to classic songs and sample a full menu of all of the Irish favorites.
Then, long after sundown, starting at 9 p.m., the street outside the pub will be closed down for a live party. Come on out to listen to live music, taste some spirits served from liquor and beer vendors, and participate in free merchandise and swag giveaways.
“It should be a great time,” explained owner Jack Hugh. “It’s the most fun any party has around. It is a celebration of Irish culture and what people love about being Irish.”
Molly McHugh’s Irish Pub opened 25 years ago. Having been around for a quarter-century, the downtown pub has been drawing people in, especially around St. Patrick’s Day.
Hugh remembers when his father first opened the bar in 1996. Since then, he has maintained his family’s tradition of treating customers well, which in turn has allowed their most loyal patrons to treat them well in return, he said.
“We always had a vision of being your friendly neighborhood pub that people of all ages from 21 to 100 can come and enjoy themselves and meet and talk,” Hugh said. “That is something every community needs. We are lucky to get into Lakeland and fill a niche. It has been great to provide them for Lakeland and know all of the customers over the years, and it gives great relationships for them.”
Over the past few years, Molly McHugh’s has kept the Spirit of the Irish through their annual St. Patrick’s Day Party. The event proves to be their most popular, and they hope to draw in a sizeable crowd for this year, especially for their anniversary.
“It is a great time each year. Each year it gets better and better,” Hugh said. “It is something we look forward to each year. It is something our staff looks forward to each year. This is a celebration of everything that we do.”
Molly McHugh’s 25th Annual St. Paddy’s Day Party will be hosted on Sat., Mar. 13, starting at 10 a.m. and running until 2 p.m. Molly McHugh’s is located at 111 S. Kentucky Ave., Lakeland, FL 33801-5001. For more information, visit their website at: http://mollymchughs.com/
