Contact us
Back to All Posts

Whether a retooled parade/Bobtown party, or a slew of offerings at The Mill, St. Pat’s Day has a series of selections

 

Not to be a green horn, St. Patrick’s Day festivities are a mixture of the tried and true blue, and a different twist on the holiday.
You can carry forward that holiday fun from Friday, by coming for the 3 p.m. Saturday St. Patrick’s parade in downtown Roberts, then staying for the free corn beef and cabbage (and free hot dogs for kids), and a pair of bands at the venue of the parade sponsor, Bobtown Brewhouse. There also are specials on six of their unique craft beers that are provided in-house.

Mike, the proprietor at Bobtown, who given his own special twist to St. Patrick’s Day, such as offering some stuff for free that usually would cost you at least several bucks, has taken over the reins of the longtime parade for the second year. It had been run for years by Roberts resident Marilyn Delander. Now, Bobtown has decided to throw an after-parade party as well.
After the floats flow through the main drag, the acoustic guitars — and accompanying on-stage banter — take over with the musical offerings at the nearby sponsor, having the Hunyuks playing at 3:30 p.m. and the Chimney Fish at 8.
Chimney Fish, a local favorite, consists of the duo guitar playing of Jeb Sears and Jim Hanvelt, who have developed a unique style of playing that Jim prefers to call “Slap Acoustic,” combining slap bass technique on an acoustic guitar.
Jim’s bands have acoustically rocked the music scene playing shows in western Wisconsin, Minnesota and even Nashville. After meeting up with Jeb at a series of open jam sessions, they several years ago decided it was time for Chimney Fish. They present a humorous twist to their shows, which is demonstrated by their original song Ode An Jagermeister and also the slogan “Smoke like a chimney, drink like a fish.” This is carried forward by a comedic online cartoon accompanying their bio of a big, puffy fish taking a great big puff.
The Hunyuks was formed more than a decade ago and the members say their name can be playfully translated as “northern rednecks.” Teaming up with Bill Gnatzig is fellow guitarist Denny Thorsen of Roberts. They play a mix of “county classic hits and humor suited to all ages,” and together they add that their guitar styles, vocal qualities and wit on stage seem to be a perfect blend.
Staples are Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, some old fun Roger Miller, Waylon Jennings and occasionally ‘50s and ‘60s rock.
Having a year of parade experience under Mike’s belt, those creatively-named, Bobtown craft beers will be on special, too. They are the Lead off Runner Cream Ale, Screamin’ Laurie Blonde Ale, Rally Ale Kentucky Common, North Shore Nut Brown Ale, Without a Doubt Oatmeal Stout, and Missed Red IPA.
For more information, contact Bobtown at (715) 338-1046.
— Green Mill is again wishing Luck ‘O The Green, and Get Your St. Pat-O-Pazoola Green On — with Shamrock figures interjected — from March 13-19. There is traditional mulligan stew with special seasonings and beef and four kinds of vegies, Rueben sandwich and also their cream-based Rueben soup, and of course, corned beef and cabbage (of the likes of Dublin, they claim), and that’s just the eats. There also are leprechaun jello shots, Jameson shooters, and three specialty drinks, Irish Flag, Irish Gold and Shamrock-Tini, which are heavy on ingredients that include Grand Mariner, the aforementioned Jameson and obviously the very Irish Baileys. The Shamrock-Tini even features a chocolate-rimmed martini glass over Bailey’s/Absolute vanilla.
— This just might be Seventh Heaven!
If you think its standard Irish fare, you’re full of blarney, as the blarney burger has an established track record during the recently celebrated seven years of business at Seasons Tavern, starting with a seven-ounce hamburger patty (not paddy), plus corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and 1000 Island dressing, on an egg-washed bun. That means lots of two kinds of meat, despite the lingering presence, especially this year, of Lenten Fridays, and with all those other ingredients, it’s great tasting, Season’s owner Brad says. (Actually, the blarney burger will be available through the end of March, and not for a pot ‘o gold). Not to mention that they offer corned beef and cabbage on both this Friday and Saturday.
— The Strangers, being longtime largely local folk, are no stranger to The Willow River Saloon or to St. Patrick’s Day performances. Join them on St. Patrick’s Eve, and also munch on some corned beef and cabbage, as you likely are no stranger to that either. Then come back on Saturday for Rock Brigade, a tribute group that also features the music of some bands from The United Kingdom.
— And don’t forget the North Hudson pub crawl on Friday starting at 6 p.m. from the northern part of the village. Done much like Northern Ireland?

Share the Post:

Related Posts

  • Full metal jacket? Hey, I wasn’t exactly to the point of going Rob Halford. But tastes aside, there must be some reason why after 26 years I was shunned, like going Bob Daisley by Ozzy at his reunion? OK, I know, my style may not have fit with the packed crowd. And the last couple of times for this, I tried to do too much with ad-libbing. So yeah, I get that this time around, I was the somewhat unusual choice to be the one left off the set list, with singers clamoring to get up there. But seriously, just being analytical of strengths and weaknesses as a singer here, no hard feelings. I’m not Dio. (Or Traveling Wilburys, a when jumping inside, inside joke.)
It was clear to me at the most recent Jeff Loven music show in Hudson, for Memorial Day weekend, that there has been a changing of the guard. The sword has been passed. New blood, like Yungblud, has been brought in. And, I must say, loyalty — amongst the devotees who travel frequently and all across the two-state area to virtually all of Jeff’s shows — has been rewarded. They are the royalty, in what just makes good business sense that I can appreciate. In a significant but not unprecedented altering of course, I was not one of those asked...
Read More
  • Songs by Napalm Death? A fire swept down my very street today, where the babies were burned. (But alas, a new A/C unit is on its way up the freeway.) The Stones did not leave these themes unturned, either, or should I say unrolled. Oh wait, this all was my cooker of an apartment, and we are not talking the kitchen. But all these matters will become more pressing, a pressure point, as the new normal especially in southern climes is temp well into the triple digits. It is these people, the third world, and their heat stroke not mine, that most concern me. (Another example of hellfire temps just added. Sin after Sin.)
Trial by fire. My broiling heart in my efficiency flat still beats a bit, in concern over those boiling over in worse apartments in a Chicago tenancy, or on an ocean island instantly-burn-your-feet beach or dessert, or forced to endure ice baths just to keep cool — or simply be offered no way to maintain an ice-dripping body other than also read a non-cookbook at the library, or select not a big steak you can’t afford but a 73/27 burger from a freezer and slap it on your forehead. Just not too hard. All these things are ones where you especially today either burn or...
Read More
  • I had a dream … And out of it (re)sprouted an ancient spring fertility rite to save the world, or at least my apartment building, or at least my second story window, from a giant lizard peering in, out at T-Rex days of yore. This ritual requires copious amounts of consumption and goes from there to hobbits and lords who are not yet a-leaping, for reasons to be retold in this fanciful, twisted tale (of fiction?) Just watch the use of Why! The letter, that is. And try to catch on to the inside jokes. (Psst. Another tale inside. Or two.)
This is a truly awfuI, twisted tale of villains and heroes, powerful ale if used carefully, giant beasties and smaller hobbyts, but also renewal and redemption. I will ascrybe to an ancient rytual, back to when the tyme gyant lyzyrds peered into second story wyndows of apartment byldings and no amount of walls could keep them out of such urban non-placated places, save this practice that annually, about this tyme of three-day holiday, would save humanity for another year.  So in this spryng fertility ryte, go consume copious quantities of hunhy grhym cr’krz and jinjer biyr, deprived of its alcohol as worshippers need to be sober-headed...
Read More
  • And musings moreover —– A full list of the trios of triumph. The power of threes. A full dozen of these triads, oh make that 13 as we linger, that you will see listed as shopping promptings in three long blocks of store windows of downtown Hudson. Three’s company? Get it? Third time’s the charm. And this is a truism, the words, some of them three letters, chosen to depict their offerings show the diversity of, dare I say it, a Super WalMart.
Here goes the ultimate list of lingo, even if it languishes, in no particular long order, as we go at length into the different kinds of businesses you will find in this locale, starting the list and at its last, two of the many art galleries in our downtown: — Feminist power, love and generosity, and to double your fun, framing, art tchotchkes and earrings, all at the biggest little art and collectables gallery you will see mid-block. — Community, commerce and tourism, touted at the Hudson Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau, in a blatant suck up to...
Read More
  • And musings moreover —– To skate or not to skate? Not on most Hudson streets and sidewalks, you don’t. Even though most users I’ve encountered have been courteous and safe — saying ‘on right’ as they go by on a fairly busy sidewalk, and not just barely edging past you — the city council in essance banned the usage last fall. I think this goes too far in what amounts to dare I say it, big brother-type stringency. I prefer a more ‘urban’ style ambiance, with a Twin Cities type of bustle. (For what of that is to be found, come Friday, ‘jump’ inside. That post now updated, for more weekend options.) I now start with a joke.
As far as, for starters, the old announcement, “passing on the right,” this was said to me just now by a beautifully tanked woman in a bikini, owning the downtown sidewalk. She was slightly gasping and moaning as she almost carressed my side going by. I ABSOLUTELY REFUSE to read anything into that … Spring has past sprung, we’ve finally had some really hotter weather, and a young man’s heart turns to thoughts of … e-cycling and skateboarders going past. In the last couple of weeks, you can see them again all around our sidewalks and byways, busy and not...
Read More
  • And musings moreover —– Shoes and shirt are welcome, to be purchased along with other keepsakes at a new shop or worn in. At least soon while dining at new downtown Hudson eating opps. You don’t need an app, read on, as doors are flipped open … There are still other options and opportunities, after the Wild opted out as flipping goalies, with Filip, only worked for so long. (Not so big shoes to fill. Just flip-flops. See below and under The Headliner for posts on such sports bar shenanigans.) So for now, in a new post, we Rally In The Valley, with eight bands.
A door on the side of a downtown conglomerate of stores, the front not back door, has a sign telling delivery drivers to deposit items in back — but the sign is flipped upside down since the tape slipped. A blipped language I don’t speak. But that’s not the only thing that’s flipped in the downtown. Lots of stores are either open as we speak, or will be soon. We’re talking still in May, maybe, and mostly earlier than later. While we wait with baited breath for the full opening of Max’s Social House. And a pub or another hub...
Read More
Scroll to Top