Celebrate the Luck of the Irish in Toronto

Do you often feel your heart skip a beat when you see a four-leaf clover? Do you get excited when you see the makings of green beer or leprechauns? You my friend have the luck of the Irish, and CityEvents has everything you want to know about celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in Toronto, for little to no cost! St. Patrick’s Day is a favourite holiday of CityEvents, CEO, Deb Lewis and is often a day off at the company. We are extremely lucky to be living in an explosively fun city like Toronto, where there is so much to do and see every day. That is why, on an occasion like St. Patrick’s Day, there are plenty more fun things to do right in the core of downtown Toronto. Make St. Patty’s Day 2012 memorable, go out, have fun, be green, and meet new Torontonians!

There is no better way than to get into the St. Patty’s Day mood, than by going to the St. Patrick’s Day parade! Sunday March 11^th, the parade will start at noon on Bloor and St. George. Irish dancers will pipe, drum, dance and skip their way east to Yonge, then head south to Queen, and turn back west, ending the parade just past Nathan Phillips Square.  This is the perfect chance to go outdoors, drink, have fun and meet new Torontonians who share your love for St. Patty’s Day.

If you’re feeling the need to give, donate or volunteer this St. Patrick’s Day, then we have something for you too! For all you philanthropists out there, on March 18^th at 10:15 a.m., come and be apart of this year’s 2012 St. Patrick’s Day Run and 5k Walk. Registration costs $50.00, and includes a free t-shirt, and a hot bowl of Irish chili and pint of Steam Whistle beer after the run. After the run, participants are invited to relax while listening to live music and entertainment. It will start and finish at 255 Bremner Boulevard, outside of Steam Whistle Brewing, The Roundhouse. All proceeds from the event and donations will go to Achilles Canada; a foundation helping Canadians with disabilities participate in running.

Another volunteer opportunity for this St. Patrick’s Day is The Shamrock at the Amsterdam Brewery, a benefit for the Parkdale Food Bank. On Saturday, March 17^th, from 5pm to 2am, people will be bringing donations or non-perishable food items, while enjoying classic Irish dishes, live Celtic music and green beer.

If like most people you want to spend the night in a pub, but not sure which one, we’ve got one with enough green beer to last you until March 2013! The best time you will have at a pub on St. Patty’s Day will be held on March 17^th, at the Irish Embassy. The evening will include live music, accompanied by Irish dancers throughout the night, and limited time offer food specials to complement your green beer.

If you’re not a pub or bar person, but want a fun St. Patty’s Day with friends, green beer, and live music, then don’t look any further; St. PARTY’s Day is here to save the day. It is an all day event on March 17^th, on 92 Front St., in the St. Lawrence market in the north building. Starting at 11a.m., this all day event will showcase a number of live bands, pots of gold, and all the green beer your Irish heart desires.

Last, but certainly not least, if all else fails, or you don’t like crowds, bring Ireland to you. Stay at home; make yourself a big pot of Irish potato soup, make your own green beer, and work on your Irish accent.

If you do plan to venture out for St. Patty’s Day, to find the pot of gold, make sure you have a safe ride home.

Planning a Party for St. Patrick

In a city with so many cultures, it is only natural that Toronto would celebrate a day of full spirited Irish traditions.  March 17th is fast approaching, and with our Irish luck this St. Patrick’s Day has landed on a Saturday!  Many will want to take advantage of the weekend and throw parties in the spirit of the leprechaun.  Here are some simple tips that will make your party the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Décor

St. Patrick’s Day is all about green.  Most importantly you must wear green attire and encourage your guests to do the same.  Then one trip to the dollar store will save you money and maybe even save you a headache.  First pick up green shamrock decorations, along with stickers, balloons and construction paper.  Then make sure you grab green plates, cups, and cutlery for your St. Patty’s snacks.  Even with a small budget, you find all of your décor needs for under $20.

Food and Beverage 

The theme of this party is simple.  Green all the way through, even in the food!  Food colouring will be your best friend and your worst enemy.  Just add a few drops into beer, soda and even some food to get the feel good green effect.  Make sure to use the dye in plastic cups to avoid staining your own glassware.  Stick with classic finger foods and a variety of Irish beers.  Everyone can enjoy some classic food with a delicious new taste of beer.

Here are some ideas for Irish Brews that can be found at varying LCBO’s…

• Guinness Irish Stout
• Harp Irish Lager
• Smithwicks Irish Amber Ale
• Kilkenny Irish Cream Ale

For the ladies, try Animee Rosé Beer, an internationally known brew that has become very popular in Ireland and is available through Molson Coors.  The sweet and light taste will be splendidly refreshing this March month.

Music

Finding the right music for an event can be very tricky when trying to satisfy a variety of people.  Here are some east coast Canadian artists that you can integrate into your own personal play list to get the perfect Celtic sounds.

• Great Big Sea
• The Barra MacNeils
• Loreena McKennitt
• Natalie McMaster
• The Rankin Family
• Ashley Mac Isaac

Games

• Pot of Gold – Balloon Pop

Take a bunch of cold balloons and fill some with a chocolate coin, some with real coins, some with plastic shamrocks and keep a handful empty.  Each guest has the chance to pop a balloon to find their lucky prize inside.  The excitement comes from the mystery of what is in the balloon.

• Lucky Coin Grab

Fill a pot with chocolate coins and three Canadian loonies.  Each guest will have a chance to grab.  Either they will get a chocolate coin, or they will get a real dollar.  The three who pick the dollar will win St. Patrick’s Day merchandise.  They will get to choose between a hat, t-shirt, or shamrock beads.  Your prizes can vary depending on what you have available.

So whether your tradition is as simple as sporting some green gear for the day or drinking a pint of green beer, the tradition of the Irish is easy to carry on when you follow these simple party tips.

Best of luck!

-Samantha Crimi

CityEvents Intern

Tips for LinkedIn

LinkedIn is among the more popular social media platforms and it is not hard to see why; it lets users make professional connections where most social media is better for making personal ones. LinkedIn has the benefit of influencing what comes up when doing searches like Google.  Instead of seeing potential embarrassing photos users are met with your professional profile.

Social Media for the Enterprise Presented by LinkedIn for Social Media Week emphasized some key points about using LinkedIn that we have shared below.

Develop A Brand

You are going to want to distinguish yourself and promote your positive attributes.

Showcase The Person Behind The Brand

People are going to want to know what makes you and your brand different so don’t be afraid to show your interests; just make sure that they don’t hurt your professional image.

Monitor Your Profile

Have relevant an up to date information. This will give people viewing your profile the right tools to effectively communicate to and about you. Help them understand what benefits you can provide by keeping information accurate and up to date.

Participate

LinkedIn has groups for nearly every profession, so join one and contribute.  This is all about visibility, by being an active participant you can show your expertise and raise your profile within your profession.

Make Connections Through Connections

Social media is about relationships and engagement; having a strong network is dependent on you making the effort; your connections are resource base and they can help you by providing new contacts.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/cityevents

Liberty Social Hour’s Noche Caliente

Outside may have been freezing rain but things were heating up for the 7^th Liberty Village Social Hour, at Williams Landing! On Thursday Jan 26^th. Liberty Villagers bundled up and headed out to network, socialize and most importantly have fun!  Planned by Rod Ponce of RPC and Deb Lewis of CityEvents, Liberty Villagers were treated to a night of relaxation, amazing door prizes, and a signature Liberty Village cocktail courtesy of Williams Landing at Noche Caliente.  For one evening the January gloom melted away into the chic urban glamour of the neighborhoods’ hottest new restaurant. If you missed out on the action, the next Liberty Social Hour is in the works for April 2012.

Outside may have been freezing rain but things were heating up for the 7th Noche Caliente Liberty Village Social Hour at Williams Landing!

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