Green with Envy: Nellie’s hosts 2 parties St. Pat’s Day weekend
By MELISSA SCHNEIDER
mschneider@breezenewspapers.com
St. Patrick’s Day takes place during one of the busiest times on Fort Myers Beach. Always looking for a great excuse to throw a party, the staff of Nervous Nellie’s is eager to host two days worth of concerts, festivals and benefits, celebrating the luck ‘o the Irish while raising funds for a great local cause.
St. Pat’s Rocks Saturday
Be sure to stop by the 1131 1st St. establishment this weekend the weekend of St. Patrick’s Day for extra-special, extra-green festivities, starting Saturday, March 16. Prepare yourselves for more than 3,000 pounds of corned beef, complete with all the trimmings, including potatoes, cabbage and carrots. But, that’s just the tip of the pot o’ gold at this place.
Nellie’s is kicking off its second annual St. Pat’s Rocks Festival Saturday, March 16, raising funds for the local Community Emergency Response Team (C.E.R.T.).
“Because the Fort Myers Beach St. Patrick’s Day Parade was moved to Saturday, we’re inviting everyone to come down after the parade to attend our second annual St. Pat’s Rocks Festival, benefitting our C.E.R.T. group that day,” said Stephen DeAngelis, assistant general manager of the establishment. “In true Nellie’s style, for the whole weekend, we’ll have events. We’re looking forward to several local rock bands Saturday, including 10,000 Views headlining, and starting with Bobby O’Donovan, kicking off the festival with traditional Irish folk music, followed by DVS, Remedy and 10,000 Views.”
There will be plenty of fantastic raffle prizes to win that day, as well as lots of 50/50 drawings, all going toward the local C.E.R.T.?group.
“We’re going to have great, great raffle prizes to raffle off that day, as well as lots of 50/50s,” Stephen said. “This has become a yearly fund-raiser for the C.E.R.T.?team; it helps cover the cost of training supplies, because they’re not funded through the state. These fund-raisers are critical to keeping the team trained and equipped with all of the necessary equipment, to keep our beach residents and visitors safe, in the event of an emergency.”
St. Patty’s Day Sunday
Following the annual St. Pat Rocks event, local group Celtic Stew will get you in the mood o’ the Irish St. Patty’s Day, Sunday, March 17, followed by Keep the Faith, a local Bon Jovi tribute band, who not only plays the big hits of the band’s career, but several that weren’t played on the radio, which true Bon Jovi fans will love.
“We’ll be opening the day with Celtic Stew, a great local Irish band, from 1 to 3 p.m., performing a couple hours of traditional Irish music. Keep the Faith, the local Bon Jovi tribute band, will then perform from 3 to 5 p.m. Then, after that, we go right back to High Tide, a really great regular band of ours, a local favorite, who’s been gaining lots of popularity,” Stephen said.
That’s not all that’s scheduled for Nervous Nellies’ near future. “We’re looking forward to another great time Saturday and Sunday and that’s just the beginning,” he said. “Sunday, March 24 is our first Firehouse Flameout BBQ. It’s not a competition, but just a huge BBQ, with mega prizes.” For further information, visit NervousNellies.net or call 463-8077.