Less Than 24 Hours Left in Saint Paddy's Day Contest

Will it be Celtic Music in the Gardens, Green Eggs & Ham, green beer and $50 gift cards or a beer garden with Irish jigs and bag pipes?

Ames Patch readers will decide in the Readers' Choice 2012 poll for the best place to spend Saint Paddy's Day.

The full list of contestants follows below: (Vote for them in the poll below and leave them a review by clicking on their business name and adding a review.)

The Space

Saint Patrick's Day is observed Saturday March 17. Some local Ames places will begin celebrations early and when we say early we mean even before Whiskey River opens at 7 a.m. Saturday to serve a Saint Paddy's Day brunch.

Dublin Bay, an Irish pub and grill, starts its Saint Paddy's Day celebration Friday in its tented patio and tented beer garden.

“I promise we have the best celebration anywhere every year,” said Justin Kabrick, Dublin Bay Irish Pub & Grill general manager.

Irish dancers perform at both 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Friday. Live music from Decoy begins at 7 p.m. Friday. Then on Saturday Dublin Bay serves an Irish breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m. Lunch starts at 11 a.m. Irish dancers perform three times throughout the day and live music includes: Brian Congdon, Kelly's Clan and Piranha Brothers. Bagpipers will perform throughout the day.

Reiman Gardens will host “Celtic Music in the Gardens” from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Friday. The Robert Thomas Dance Center will do a little Irish jigging and Kelly's Clan will perform at 7 p.m. Olde Main will serve up some drinks and Hy-Vee will serve Irish cupcakes and Reuben paninis. Tickets are $12 and $14 in advance and $18 at the door.

Whiskey River opens at 7 a.m. Saturday. The first 50 people in the door get a free green Saint Paddy's Day T-shirt. The morning brunch includes green eggs & ham. Corned beef and cabbage will be offered along with the rest of the menu. A keg of Guinness will be on tap free to those wearing green. And beer is green all day. Whiskey River will also hold a drawing for a $40 beer tab.

Olde Main, DG's Tap House and Corner Pocket (all under the same ownership) are participating in an unofficial pub crawl. Visit each stop to participate in Saint Paddy's Day specials and enter to win a $50 gift card at each destination.

And if none of that suits you, there is a Saint Paddy's Day Show at The Space 7 p.m. Saturday.

Now that you know what's happening tell us which sounds best. Start voting now. A winner will be declared at the end of the week.

Coming soon: Readers' Choice 2012 Best Places to Watch March Madness.