By MACKENZEE SIMMS | Staff Writer

HELENA – Featuring live music, food and green beer, Helena’s Beef O’ Brady’s held a two-day celebration for St. Patrick’s Day from March 16-17. The live music line-up boasted seven different acts as Helena residents, decked in green, enjoyed the luck of the Irish.

With the purchase of a $20 weekend pass, guests enjoyed live music on the patio overlooking Helena’s Buck Creek. Adults sipped green beer while children hopped in the inflatable bounce house. And if these festivities worked up an appetite, attendees could retreat into the restaurant to feast from the offerings on the restaurant’s special St. Patrick’s Day menu.

According to Anna Doaks, a manager at the Helena location who has worked for Beef O’ Brady’s for seven years, St. Patrick’s Day is the perfect opportunity for the Helena location to host an event that allows the community to celebrate.

“It’s really good to see the community and it’s for them,” Doaks said. “(Beef O’ Brady’s) is somewhere that kids can come out and have a good time and (enjoy) a family friendly spot for everybody.”

With approximately 150 locations across the country, Beef O’ Brady’s is a chain of restaurants that offers the classic American family-friendly sports bar experience with an Irish twist.

Despite being a chain, Doaks shared that the Beef O’ Brady’s in Helena tries to build strong connections to the community and frequently hosts local musicians. Many of these bands joined the line-up of live music for the St. Patrick’s Day weekend.

“(Bands) like Deputy 5 and Outshine have been doing this with us for years, so we just kind of decide which location they’re going to play,” Doaks said. “We try to get people that are known and going to be supported.”

Attendees at the St. Patrick’s Day celebration jammed to a plethora of acts including Twelve, Danny and Randy, Blake Brock and Deputy 5 on Saturday and Southtown Revival, Outshine and Nacho Daddy on Sunday.

According to Manager Farrah Gossett, the St. Patrick’s Day weekend is one of the busiest weekends of the year for the Beef O’ Brady’s in Helena. Gossett has worked for Beef O’ Brady’s for 14 years and has quite a few St. Patrick’s Days under her belt, and she’s not the only one. Several guests donned T-shirts from past Beef O’ Brady’s St. Patrick’s Day events.

“Especially being in Helena and being in a small town, it’s nice seeing people that not only come every now and then, but (also those that) really support it,” Doaks said. “I feel like they come out every year. It’s good to see and you really feel that in Helena. The community makes it nice.”

Anyone interested in more information about upcoming Beef O’ Brady’s events in Helena can visit Facebook.com/beefobradyshelena.