Green with pride

Dublin-born actor Patrick Bergin finds it amusing that St. Patrick’s Day has come to be an excuse for hard-core partying. “It’s ironic that St. Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland and to repay him the pagans celebrate by getting drunk,” says Bergin (“Sleeping With the Enemy,” “Ella Enchanted”), who played the title role in the 2000 made-for-TV movie “St. Patrick: The Irish Legend.” “That spiritual side of him is important. I became very closely acquainted with his work playing him, and his prayer is a beautiful piece of work.”

Not that Bergin, who has spent a few St. Patty’s Day in L.A. at Fairfax Avenue pubs such as Tom Bergin’s or Molly Malone’s, or at O’Brien’s in Santa Monica, won’t be downing a few pints himself. He merely advocates that when people are lying in bed with the room spinning in the early hours of March 18, they remember why it’s revolving. “That spiritual side shouldn’t be forgotten,” he says. “If you can capture both, that’s what makes it a great day.”

No matter if you’re Irish, today figures to be green; folks from New York and Boston to L.A. will wear the color, enjoy parades or sample other bits of Irish culture. Yes, the barstools at those Fairfax Avenue pubs -- not to mention neighborhood stops such as Limerick’s in Long Beach, McMurphy’s Tavern in Pasadena and Ireland’s 32 in Van Nuys -- will likely be filled. But that’s not all St. Patrick’s Day has to offer. However you choose to celebrate, be safe and remember to wear green (and for those who forget and get pinched, blame the Irish schoolkids who started that tradition). Here are some options:

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Sweet homecoming

“We absolutely love coming back home for St. Patrick’s Day,” Fenians vocalist Terry Casey says of the Orange County band’s annual show, now entering its fifth year. “It’s always a triumphant homecoming for us because we spend five to seven weeks on the road around this time and then we come back and play our particular brand of Irish music.” The House of Blues Anaheim figures to be jumping as the group delivers its unique sound, fusing Celtic music, jazz and folk, as showcased on last year’s “Every Day’s a Hooley” release.

Like Bergin, Casey has no problem with people celebrating with a pint or two, but he also hopes they come away from the show with more than just a hangover the next morning. “Irish songs have a rich tradition of telling tales of what it’s like to emigrate, to be Irish,” Casey says. “The history of Ireland has been told in songs, and I’d like people to listen to the songs, listen to the stories and come away more educated about what it’s like to be Irish.”

The Fenians, House of Blues Anaheim, 1530 S. Disneyland Drive, Anaheim. 7 p.m. today. $20. (714) 778-2583.

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Parade, then party

It might not be New York, but downtown L.A. has had its own St. Patrick’s Day parade since 1999. Coordinated by the L.A. police and fire departments, the parade offers family fun, including Irish dancers, marching bands and antique firetrucks.

After the parade, the party turns to Pershing Square at noon for a celebration that offers food, drink (including $1 non-alcoholic O’Doul’s beer), and a performance by Irish rockers the American Wake. It’s suggested people take the Metro line to avoid parking hassles.

Downtown L.A. St. Patrick’s Day Parade / Pershing Square Celebration, West 5th Street and Olive Street, Los Angeles. Parade starts at 11:30 a.m. at Pershing Square. Free. www.lafd.org.

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More to do and see

* There’ll be more than a wee bit of dancing and comedy when the family-friendly Dublin’s Traditional Irish Cabaret performs at El Camino College. Expect classics such as “Danny Boy” in a show punctuated by lively dance routines. 8 p.m. Saturday at El Camino College’s Marsee Auditorium, 16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance. $24-$26; 12 and younger, $12. (310) 329-5345.

* Running at the Santa Monica Playhouse for the sixth consecutive year, “A Bit of the Irish With Chris O’Sullivan” promises song, limericks, readings and a celebration of all things from Ireland. 8 p.m. today at the Santa Monica Playhouse, 1211 4th St., Santa Monica. $10-$15. (310) 394-9779.

* There will be even more side-splitting entertainment at the Ice House, which presents Irish comedy with Jimmy Dore and Kyle Dunnigan. 8:30 p.m. today, 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. Friday and 7, 9 and 11 p.m. Saturday at the Ice House, 24 Mentor St., Pasadena. Cover varies. (626) 577-1894.

* Keep the party going through the weekend with longtime local faves the Young Dubliners. 8 p.m. Saturday at the House of Blues, 8430 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. $20. (323) 848-5100.