St. Patrick's Day (Lá 'le Pádraig) is fast approaching, bringing with it an avalanche of events, but if you're not in the mood for green Miller Lite, blinking shamrock necklaces, and less than traditional renditions of a corned beef sandwich, Milwaukee has more than enough Eire-blooded activities going on to keep you in the green for as long as you like.

If you've been to Ireland, you know that no day starts out right without an Irish breakfast, which traditionally includes fried eggs, black pudding (blood sausage), baked beans, mushrooms, rashers, and a lovely marinated tomato. Whereas normally one can only find an Irish breakfast Sundays at Packy's Irish Pub, 4068 S. Howell Ave., on March 17, they are o'plenty. Packy's opens its doors at 7 a.m. to start the south end of Milwaukee's day right.

On the East Side, get your early morning nourishment at Paddy's Pub, 2339 N. Murray at 6 a.m., on the west side at Derry's, 5328 W. Bluemound Rd. at 6 a.m., and on the north side at Taylor and Dunn's Public House, 10365 N. Cedarburg Rd., Mequon at 6 a.m. Expect to see breakfast transform into other fare mid-afternoon; corned beef sandwiches, fish fries, or, if you're lucky, a traditional Irish stew. The Milwaukee favorite family-owned Champion's Pub, 2417 N. Bartlett Ave., serves up lots of Irish cheer and Bette Champion's Irish Stew both inside and on their outdoor heated patio, and the newly opened Buckley's Kiskeam Inn, 801 N. Cass St., will also dish up stew and corned beef and cabbage until 10 p.m.

To wind down the evening, you may care to sample a pint or two of Guinness or Smithwicks, both beers which you "build not pour." A fine pint can be found in most places around town, but if you can get into County Clare, 1234 N. Astor St., you will find you are drinking in the midst of the Irish, and if you're lucky, you'll hear a visiting piper or two or house musicians Barry Dodd and Kimberly Siegel. Other establishments worth a visit include McCarthy's, 3315 County Road I, Saukville, hosted by the very talented and always entertaining Finbar McCarthy, House of Guinness, 354 W. Main St., Waukesha, Mo's Irish Pub, 142 W. Wisconsin Ave., The Irish Pub, 124 N. Water St., and Slim McGinn's, 338 S. 1st St. and 5901 W. Bluemound Rd., where the Guinness flows like milk and honey and there's always someone to toast the wearing o' the green with.

Remember, if you're sampling the Irish brews (Smithwicks, Guinness, Harp Lager, Beamish and Murphy's Irish Stouts) and whiskeys (Jameson, Powers, Bushmills, Tullamoredew), or Milwaukee's favorite green beer, please take advantage of the Miller Free Rides program which offers free Milwaukee County Transit bus rides after 6 p.m.

Slainte!