Cover Stories
IT’S OUR DAY!
The observance of St. Patrick’s Day in Savannah first started in 1824 with the first documented invitation to the general public regarding the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day in Savannah. Today, almost 300 units—including marching bands, families, military units, Irish societies, students, dancers, public servants, and commercial floats—weave their way through the streets of Historic…
THE BIG PARADE PICTURE
THE Savannah St. Patrick’s Day Parade is generally considered the second largest in the country, after only New York’s. As anyone who has marched in it will attest, it is the longest such parade pretty much anywhere. At over 3 miles and 3 hours long, with about 300 total units, it is a marathon trek…
St. Patrick’s Day Parade is a celebration of life
Several years ago, the City of Savannah instituted a sort of “land rush” in a running of the squares for families and visitors to jockey for prime space to set up along the parade route. At 6 a.m. on the morning of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, city and security staff will “officially” open the…
Country music singer-songwriter Matt Rogers is proud to represent Georgia
It was only seven years ago when country music singer-songwriter and Georgia native Matt Rogers decided to leave his job in the medical profession to move to Nashville to pursue his lifelong passion of music. Now, he’s an award-winning singer-songwriter who has been recognized by NSAI/CMT, Music City Songstar, American Songwriter, Songwriting University, and Mid-Atlantic…
Ceremony honors the memory and 50th anniversary of former St. Patrick’s Day Parade grand marshal
The St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee and members of the Rossiter family honored the memory of 1972 Grand Marshal Francis P. Rossiter Sr. on Thursday, March 10 at The Catholic Cemetery on Wheaton St. The small annual ceremony featured speeches and songs, and the Chatham County Sheriff's Department’s Firing Party. This would have been Rossiter’s…
PAINT OUT SAVANNAH!
Painting en plein air is the practice of painting landscapes or cityscapes out-of-doors, in a loose, faster style than can be accomplished in the studio. Pronounced like the “plen” in “splendid”, plein airs are more impressionistic, vibrant, and immediate—capturing the sunlight and shadows at a particular moment in time. In the 1880’s, Monet, undoubtedly the…
INTRODUCTIONS: Meet the Lees
Standing just off Chippewa Square at the corner of McDonough and Drayton sits an institution of Savannah that has tended to locals and visitors alike for 35 years. McDonough’s Restaurant and Lounge was opened in 1987 by long-time Savannahian, the late Billy Lee who passed away in December, 2017. Today, his children, Deborah and Joseph,…
Yonder Mountain String Band plays Victory North
When Nick Piccininni got the call in 2020 from Yonder Mountain String Band to sub in for some shows in place of mandolin player Jacob Jolliff, he wasn’t expecting it to be a big deal. “At the time, I didn’t think anything would necessarily come of it,” Piccininni recalled in an early January phone interview.…
Savannah’s first-ever pro soccer club to begin play in 2023
The National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) proudly announces it has approved Savannah Clovers FC for membership. The club will start play in the 2023 season, marking the first season of professional soccer in the City of Savannah’s history. “We are thrilled that Savannah Clovers FC has joined us and our quest for a true open…
The history of the Celtic Cross Ceremony
The St. Patrick’s Day festivities around Savannah officially kicked off with the greening of the fountain in Forsyth Park on March 11. This ritual occurs yearly in the beauty of the park surrounded by families, locals, and visitors alike participating in the long-standing tradition. Tara Reese, President of the Savannah Irish Festival Committee and a…
Get your parade grub on
Around Savannah this St. Patrick’s Day, you’re sure to find green beer in any restaurant or bar. However, if you’re looking for some of the best Irish fare to add to the experience of the day, there are a few food traditions in town to get you fueled up for the day ahead. You can…
Local high school marching bands ready to perform on St. Patrick’s Day
The Islands and Herschel V. Jenkins High School Marching Bands (among others) will be performing during the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Thurs, March 17 as it weaves its way through the squares of downtown Savannah. Melvin Lewis became band director for Jenkins High School in October 2019. Lewis, along with much of the band,…
City’s first Navy Week features Savannah native, Jenkins High grad to be honored in parade
The Hostess City is ready to roll out the red carpet for its first-ever Navy Week March 14-20, in conjunction with the Savannah St. Patrick’s Day Festival. Savannah Navy Week brings sailors from across the U.S. Navy fleet to the area to emphasize the importance of this branch of the military to Savannah, the state…
RANDOM RUMINATIONS ON A HOLIDAY WEEKEND
The big news this week is in Savannah’s Victorian District with the announcement from Cuban Window Cafe that they are closing their doors after 18 months. Owner Cynthia Santana tells me business had been great. Staffing was not an issue. The reasons were strictly personal. Fortunately, there are far more openings than closings around…
Plant Riverside Kicks off Shamrocks and Shenanigans
Savannah’s Plant Riverside District will host its 2022 Shamrocks and Shenanigans Celebration starting March 16. The five-day event offers free live music on two riverfront stages, Irish dance performances, family-friendly activities, mini-golf, and photos with Lucky the Leprechaun, as well as festive food and drink options for all ages. Featured performers will include The Fabulous…
COCKTAIL OF THE WEEK: BANSHEE ISLAND
Enjoy at: Ardsley Station, 102 E. Victory Dr. MADE WITH: Slant Irish Whiskey, Rum, vodka, triple sec, simple syrup, lemon juice, Fernet With a moniker based on an Irish Legend, a Banshee Island is Ardsley’s Station’s play on a Long Island Iced Tea. Bartender Loni Lewis breaks down how to make the cocktail. “First we…
Old Savannah Tours to offer St. Patrick’s Day shuttle service to and from Tybee Island
Old Savannah Tours hopes to promote safe celebrating with the return of its St. Patrick’s Day Tybee Island shuttle service. The shuttle will run every 30 minutes between Savannah and Tybee Island from Thursday, March 17 at 6:00 a.m. until 1:00 a.m. on Friday, March 18, with the last shuttle departing Tybee Island at 12:30 a.m. “Old Savannah Tours…
Deep Center relaunches Drop-In Program
Deep Center relaunched “Drop-In,”a free program for young people ages 13-19 in the community to provide fun, accessible, culturally-responsive, and trauma-informed workshops ranging from visual arts to performing arts and more. “Our aim is to build a space where our young people can find joy, mentoring, support, and opportunities to explore their creativity,” said Kathy…
John Fogarty: A chat with the Parade Committee’s General Chairman
You work all year toward a goal. Hours of project time, organizing, and crossing every “t” and dotting every “i.” Heading up any large event is a challenge enough, but for John Fogarty, General Chairman of the Parade Committee, the fruits of his efforts—as well as hundreds of other parade committee members—will soon culminate…
WHAT ARE WE READING?
Olga by Bernhard Schlink Unfolding across decades—from the late nineteenth to the early twenty-first century—and across continents—from Germany to Africa and the Arctic, from the Baltic Sea to the German south-west—Olga is an epic romance, and a wrenching tale of a woman’s devotion to a restless man in an age of constant change. Though Olga…
Come march into Saints and Shamrocks
As almost a million visitors are expected to flow into The Hostess City for the events surrounding the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. This is music to the ears of local businesses throughout town, especially the owner of Saints and Shamrocks. Across from The Desoto Hotel on Bull Street, Saints and Shamrocks has served Savannah…
Still looking for something to wear for St. Patrick’s Day? Well, aren’t you lucky!
Whether you waited until the last minute to plan your St. Patrick’s Day outfit, or your weekend social schedule suddenly got full, we’ve got your back. This week, we’re showing you six festive looks for the biggest weekend in Savannah. Head to Delaney Rose Boutique on Bull St. for festive T-shirts, denim and big, felt…
