Celebrate the Irish spirit in us all as Burien's Cove2Clover festivities expand to add a brand-new two-day rollicking Celtic Folk Fair, plus a challenging obstacle course option for the event's Fun Run or Walk.
From Friday, March 11 to Sunday, March 13, the nonprofit Cove2Clover offers activities for all ages: the 5K Beat the Snake Run or Walk that started it all, the Wee (Family) Race, a pub crawl, beer garden, Celtic dance and music, activities for kids, artisans and craft vendors, local restaurant food specials and an Irish gala.

Friday, March 11 - Pub Crawl

"The Pub Crawl that Started It All" begins at 6 p.m. at Burien Town Square, at the corner of Fifth Place Southwest and Southwest 152nd Street. Visit the stops listed on your passport and collect stamps or stickers to qualify for door prizes. Return to Burien Town Square by 11 p.m. for live Celtic music and door prizes. A prize will also be awarded for the Best Leprechaun Costume during judging from 11:30 to 12 p.m., when the crawl officially ends.

Register online or in person. The first 100 online registrants will receive a special gift with registration. Pub crawlers can also register in person at the following Burien businesses: Highline Athletic Club, 125 S. 156th St.; Mick Kelly's Irish Pub, 435 S.W. 152nd St.; Burien Press, 423 S.W. 152nd St.; Tin Room Bar & Grill, 923 S.W. 152nd St.; 909, 909 S.W. 152nd St.; and Elliott Bay Brewhouse & Pub, 255 S.W. 152nd St.
Online registrants can pick up their pub crawl bib/passport at Mick Kelly's any time after noon on March 11.

Friday, March 11 - Opening Ceremony for Cove to Clover

From 10:30 p.m. to midnight, help kick off the Cove to Clover festivities by catching a Celtic jam session with the Irish band The Haggis Bros in the Big Top Beer Garden at Burien Town Square, at the corner of Fifth Place Southwest and Southwest 152nd Street. Heft a tasty pint from Georgetown Brewery, or test your moxy with the "c2c snakebite," containing Stoli, Tullamore Dew and Red Bull.

Saturday, March 12 - Celtic Folk Fair

From noon to 6 p.m., enjoy free Celtic entertainment on two stages, artisans and craft vendors, a bouncy house for kids, the Big Top Beer Garden, and local restaurant food specials. The action centers on Burien Town Square, at the corner of Fifth Place Southwest and Southwest 152nd Street.
The rousing roster for the H.A.C. Main Stage includes:

Noon-1 p.m. Momentum Irish Dancers (Irish dance)
1-1:30 p.m. Farraige Mhor Academy of Irish Dance (Scottish dance)
1:30-2 p.m. Robin MacRae Dance School (Irish dance)
2-4 p.m. Trevor Ras (acoustic folk rock)
4-6 p.m. Straw Hat String Band (acoustic "roots" music)

Family friendly acts offered on the Wee Stage are:

Noon-1 p.m. The Noise Guy (comedy)
1-1:30 p.m. Andrew Anderson (Celtic harp and vocals)
1:30-2 p.m. Marvista Circus Club (elementary school circus acts)
2-3 p.m. Seattle Tae Kwon Do Academy (kids' martial arts)
3-4 p.m. A Wee Bit Celtic (family-friendly music)
4-5 p.m. Kim Cooney (Irish tenor with piano)

Saturday, March 12 - Irish Gala

Don your kilt, full Celtic warrior attire or at least something green for the Irish Gala from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Normandy Park Community Club, known as The Cove. This event is limited to those 21 and older, and broadswords must be checked at the door.

The $25 admission includes a dinner of traditional Irish fare from 7 to 8 p.m., dancing to live tunes by the Irish band The Haggis Bros from 8 to 11 p.m., a special appearance by the 30-foot Snake, and Guinness, Georgetown Manny's and Rogers on tap. If you aren't a beer drinker, you can BYOB. The winner of the Celtic Costumed Couple Contest will receive dinner for two at Mick Kelly's Irish Pub.

Tickets are on sale only at The Cove in Normandy Park. Office hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturday from 8 to 10 p.m. The Cove is located at 1500 SW Shorebrook Dr., Normandy Park, WA 98166. For more information, call The Cove at 206-242-3778 or email gala@covetoclover.com.

Sunday, March 13 - Beat the Snake 5K and Wee Family Race

New this year, an optional obstacle course called The Uprising has been added to both the 5K and Wee Family Race. You can choose to go around the obstacle course, but it will add .05 miles to your race. You can look at the race courses at covetoclover.com.

At 1 p.m., take on the challenging Beat the Snake 5K. This is one tough course, with the punishment beginning right out of the starting gate at The Cove as you climb nearly 1,000 feet up the ominously named Snake Hill. But at the top of the hill, runners are rewarded with the ethereal music of a Highland piper and gorgeous views of Puget Sound.

At 1:30 p.m., rookie runners, kids and families can test themselves in the Wee (Family) Race, which feature a flat one-mile course that starts at St. Francis Church.

At the end of the race, participants can relax with entertainment and beverages at the Celtic Folk Fair. In addition, kids wearing their race bibs will be treated to free chocolate milk, hotdogs and root beer garden.
Register in advance online to get the best price and ensure a race t-shirt will be waiting for you on race day. Online registration for the 5K is $35 and for the Wee (Family) Race $30. Day-of-race registration at Burien Town Square is $40 for the 5K and $35 for the Wee (Family) Race.

You can also register online to be an Athlete Angel and sponsor students in need for a discounted rate of $25. Free and reduced lunch Highline School District students are encouraged to ask their school counselors about receiving an Athlete Angel sponsorship. Counselors should then email angels@covetoclover.com. Sponsorships are awarded on a first-come, first served basis.

There is an official 5K wheelchair division, or sign up for the Wee (Family) Race. Wheelchair athletes begin 5 minutes prior to a general wave of runners. Pets are allowed, but must be at the back of the pack for the safety of all runners.

Participants should pick up their race packets on the day of the race at Burien Town Square, at the corner of Fifth Place Southwest and Southwest 152nd St. Packets include a race t-shirt, timing chip and runner bib.

T-shirts for late registrants can be retrieved at Mick Kelly's approximately three weeks after the race. Choose the no-shirt option and the extra proceeds will benefit the Highline Area Food Bank, the Highline Schools Foundation and Hospitality House.

Participants should take free race-day shuttles from Burien Town Square to the starting lines for the races, as parking at those locations is extremely limited. Shuttles will run beginning at 10 a.m. The final shuttles will depart at 12:30 p.m. to the 5K and at 1 p.m. to the Wee (Family) Race. A live band will entertain early arrivals at the 5K starting line. Racers can check their gear for free before hopping aboard a shuttle.

Sunday, March 13 - Celtic Folk Fair

Free harp performances at Burien City Hall join the free Celtic entertainment in Burien Town Square from noon to 5 p.m. on two stages, along with artisans and craft vendors, a bouncy house for kids, the Big Top Beer Garden, and local restaurant food specials.

Take a break from the hubbub to soak in live harp music in Harp Circle, sponsored by Burien Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services. Harp Circle can be found in the Burien City Hall Council Chambers, which are inside the Burien Library just off Burien Town Square. Performances include:

2-3:15 p.m. Lizzy LaBelle (Celtic harp & vocals)
3:15-3:30 p.m. Rachel Rigsby (Celtic harp)
3:30-5 p.m. Andrew Anderson (Celtic harp & vocals)

The lively lineup for the H.A.C. Main Stage features:

Noon-2 p.m. Sliabh na mBan (upbeat Irish music)
2-3 p.m. Momentum Irish Dancers (Irish dance)
3-3:30 p.m. True Romans (ROCK! From members of Left Hand Smoke)
3:30-4 p.m. Race Awards
4-5 p.m. True Romans (ROCK! From members of Left Hand Smoke)

Family friendly acts on the Wee Stage include:

Noon-1 p.m. Boys of Greenwood Glen (rocking Celtic music)
1-2 p.m. Lizzy LaBelle (Celtic music & vocals)
2-2:30 p.m. Marvista Choir (elementary school student choir)
3-4 p.m. Bernie (12-string guitar)
4-5 p.m. Goofy Foot Band (classic & '60s rock, surfer rock)

General Event Details

Now in its third year, the nonprofit Cove2Clover event has grown in leaps and bounds since it began in 2009 with the Beat the Snake race. In that first year, the race had about 450 runners and was able to donate $12,000 to local charities. By the second year, the number of runners and donations approximately tripled to 1,200 and $37,000.

Organized by a group of friends as a grass-roots effort to showcase the Highline area community at its best and benefit local charities, Mick Kelly's Irish Pub has been behind the event since the beginning.

This is an all-volunteer event, so all proceeds beyond costs go to the following charities: Highline Area Food Bank, Highline Schools Foundation and Hospitality House.

For more details, go to www.covetoclover.com.