5 Things You Need To Know Today: St. Patrick's Day 2013

Our daily column, 5 Things You Need to Know Today, will help you to get your day started and offer you some fodder for water cooler conversation.

1. Nobscot Cafe will be serving Irish corned beef & cabbage today and from 4 to 8 p.m. the Belfast Cowboys will perform.

2. It's Boston - but it is the second largest St. Patrick's Day parade in the country. The 3-mile parade kicks off at 1 p.m. and is expected to end around 4 p.m. More than 40,000 people are expected to march in the parade, including bands, members of the military and local politicians, according to the Boston Herald. More than a million spectators attended last year when the temperatures were in the 70s, but today's high may reach 40 degrees. 

3. O'Connell's Pub is serving up some St. Patrick's Day favorites today including Irish Potato Skins, which are topped with corned beef and cheese; Irish Stew, Traditional Boiled Dinner, with lean grey corned beef; Shepherd's Pie and Guinness Fish & Chips.

4. Catch the final performance of Godspell at Amazing Things Arts Center will stage Godspell today at 2 p.m. Tickets are $23. $22 for students and seniors, $20 members and $12 for children age 12 and under.

5. 300 Ways to Create an Unforgettable Seder at Temple Israel of Natick at 11 a.m. Dr. Murray Spiegel presents the fascinating and humorous account of a 35-year project to obtain translations of the Seder's 4 questions from hundreds of people around the globe: Jews from Uganda to Uzbekistan, aboriginals in Australia, Eskimo Bishops, Maori from New Zealand, and experts of ancient languages. This richly illustrated multimedia presentation includes several of the more unusual translations, from their 120 countries of origin. He covers cultural nuggets from other lands, the Seder's history and unexpectedly exotic languages spoken by Jews and their melodic chants. The event is free and open to the public.