By Scott Sullivan
Editor
It looks like another banner year for banners advertising pub crawls hung under Saugatuck’s iconic pallet sign at Lake Street and Blue Star Highway
City council Monday approved requests from the Red Horse Center inviting all to the Saugatuck Second Line Mardi Gras Pub Crawl scheduled for Fat Tuesday, Feb. 17, and from Saugatuck/Douglas Public Events for a St. Patrick’s Day run and pub crawl Saturday, March 14.
The Mardi Gras banner was expected to go up Monday, Jan. 26, and remain hanging through Feb. 18. The St. Paddy’s Day marker will go up Feb. 27 and be taken down March 14.
- Second Lines — neighborhood celebrations in the form of brass band parades — are a New Orleans art form involving strolling musical celebrations that raise funds for worthy causes.
Saugatuck’s sixth annual Mardi Gras bash will bring back the Great Lakes Brass Band to perform and parade, followed by a Second Line of revelers, through Saugatuck streets and watering holes including: - Wally’s Bar & Grill (fun there starts at 3 p.m., then departs for
- Phil’s Bar & Grille 4:15 to 4:30), then
- The Sand Bar Saloon (4:35 to 4:50, next
- The Butler (5-5:15), then
- Wicks Park & Grille (5:20-5:35, and culminates at
- The Southerner with a Mardi Gras buffet and post-parade party commencing at 6 p.m. and ending with a 7:30 set by the band.
Event proceeds will go to the Red Horse Center Collaborative Leadership Center, which furnishes Allegan County youth with therapeutic mental health, art and leadership development through interacting with nature, dogs and horses.
Party kit — including feathered boas, beads and more — plus raffle and meal tickets can be pre-ordered online at https://redhorse.red/events/ssl/. - Cajun hijinks give way to Irish ones March 14 starting with the fifth annual Shamrock 3.2ish Run, Walk or Roll starting and ending at Wicks Park Bar & Grille. Packet pickups begin at 10:30 a.m. with participants debarking at 11:15.
Registration costs $40 through Feb. 20 and includes a long-sleeve Shamrock Run shirt, bib and green beer at the finish. Festive wear is encouraged. A prize will go to the most-spirited participant.
To sign up, go to https://findarace.com/us/events/2026-5th-annual-shamrock-run-walk-or-roll.
Stick around Wicks if you like for the pub crawl starting from there with punch card handouts from 12:30 to 2 p.m. and proceeding to and from five other downtown bars till 5:45 p.m.
The first 20 to pre-register at https://www.eventbrite.com/b/mi–saugatuck/holiday/st-patricks-day/for $18 will receive an event shirt, grand prize ticket, one green beer and one shamrock punch pass.
The next 50 to register for $15 by March 1 will get one grand prize ticket, one punch card and one green beer, but no event t-shirt unless purchased separately.
Do not drink and drive, say sponsors, who highly suggest using low-cost Interurban transportation to and from home that day.
