It's hard to believe, but St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner! St. Patrick's Day is celebrated all over the world, and the Netherlands is no exception. There is a festival in the Hague sponsored by the Irish Club of the Netherlands that offers Irish musical, film and sporting events. This is the biggest official celebration in the Netherlands, so head on over if this is something you're interested in attending. From the website:

• Festivities kick off on Friday, March 11th with an evening of traditional & folk music in The Hague's local Irish pubs. Free entrance!

• On Saturday, the Grote Markt will be transformed into the "Groene Markt," with stalls selling Irish-ware. The day will kick-off with a parade of marching bands, followed by free day-long entertainment on the main outdoor stage, with a series of traditional Irish dancing and music acts, supported by guest Irish DJ's.

• Saturday will also see the Den Haag Annual Gaelic Football tournament at the Westlandse Rugby club with teams from Ireland, the Netherlands and Belgium (also no charge).

• The highlight of the weekend will be the Saturday night Festival Party at the popular music venue, Supermarkt, in the Grote Markt, showcasing the best of Irish contemporary & folk music.

For more information, you can email info (at) stpatricksfestival.nl.