Forward Weekend! to a friend and be automatically entered for two tickets to Charleston Fashion Week March 24-28.

The green party
Party in the Olde Village of North Charleston on Saturday in celebration of St. Patrick's Day. It all kicks off at 12:30 p.m. with a parade that starts at Park Place East and ends at the block party near Virginia Avenue. From 1 to 8 p.m., enjoy all things Irish, including Irish dancing, corned beef and cabbage and trivia. Live Irish music will be provided by Karl Byrne, and Joy Ride will play party music. There'll be face painting, a jump castle, a mechanical bull, prizes and other food vendors, too. The event is sponsored by Madra Rua Irish Pub, and there is no charge to attend.

Dog day afternoon
Bring your canine friends to James Island County Park on Saturday for the American Cancer Society's Paws for a Cause event. Registration opens at 9 a.m. for the one-mile dog walk. The event kicks off at 10 a.m. with a special canine cancer survivor ceremony. After the race, local band Danger Muffin will be performing and there'll be paw readings, animal contests, barbecue, beer, a silent auction and special appearances. Registration is $25, $20 for students. Register online or the day of the event.

A night with the master
The Charleston Symphony Orchestra is bringing Canadian violinist Karen Gomyo to town Saturday for its Masterworks concert. Gomyo, who studied at Juilliard on a full scholarship, has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the San Francisco Symphony and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Gomyo and the orchestra will be playing Dvorak's Violin Concerto at 8 p.m. at the Gaillard Municipal Auditorium. Tickets are $20-$60 and $5 for students with ID. They can be purchased at the Gaillard box office, Ticketmaster outlets and online.

Unlucky night at the opera
March brings another Friday the 13th, and South of Broadway Theatre Company is celebrating with Fright Night with the Opera. The studio throws open its doors at 7 p.m. Friday for a night of murder, revenge, blood, guts and destruction, all opera-style, at its studios, at 1080 E. Montague Ave. in the Olde Village in North Charleston. There is no charge to attend the event. Call 843-745-0317 for more information.

Get the Scoop
Angel Powell and Colleen Deihl have set out to carve a new art niche with Scoop, through which they showcase emerging artists. Scoop's inaugural event, One Night Stand, from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, features local and transplanted artists, including work by Beaufort native Bill Mead, who is making his mark with surrealist fruit landscapes (pictured), and Jesse Mead of the Isle of Palms, who takes inspiration from the female form. The show is at Rick Rhodes Studios in West Ashley and will be catered by Guerrilla Cuisine and Sweetwater Brewery. For information, call 843-224-6184.

Chance encounters
Imagine if Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein met at a bar. That's what actor Steve Martin imagined when he wrote Picasso at the Lapin Agile, which Charleston Stage has taken on as its latest play. Set in a Paris bar called the Lapin Agile, a young Einstein and a young Picasso meet up and discuss cubism, relativity and more, and hilarity ensues. Catch a performance at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday or 3 p.m. Sunday for the next two weeks. Tickets are $29, $27 for seniors and $15 for students. Bargain seats are available.

Flowertown on foot
Take a hike through Summerville on Saturday as part of the annual Flowertown Festival Run and Walk, with your choice of a 10k, 5k or one-mile run and walk. The race starts at the Summerville YMCA at 8 a.m. (7:45 a.m. for the 5k) and weaves through downtown and past historic homes and gardens. High schoolers can win a car, and the school with the most participants receives a donation to its library. Register online for $20 or at any YMCA location. Late registration the morning of the event is $30. For more information, go online or call 843-871-9622, ext. 124.

A day at the museum
On Saturday, bring the family to the Gibbes Museum of Art for its quarterly Community Day, sponsored by the Junior League of Charleston. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., enjoy beverages from Rising High Cafe and musical performances as the children indulge their artistic side with activities. Then enjoy the exhibits, such as Painters of American Life: The Eight and The American Scene on Paper: Prints and Drawings from the Schoen Collection. There is no charge to attend.

Wedding bells
For those who have nuptials on the brain, the Bridal Extravaganza is coming to the Holiday Inn Mount Pleasant on Sunday. There will be all kinds of vendors, including florists, photographers and cake decorators, as well as a fashion show with local boutiques at 3 p.m. Finger food will be provided. The event runs from noon to 4 p.m., and there is no charge to attend. For more information, call 843-884-6000, ext 145.

Irish start to the weekend
Start the weekend with a little green at the St. Patrick's Day Street Party at Freshfields Village Drive, at the crossroads of Kiawah and Seabrook islands. King Street Grille will be providing authentic Irish fare, and draft beer also will be available. The Hungry Monks will provide the entertainment. The party is from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, and there is no charge to attend. For more information, call 843-768-4155.

Eastside Surfblog
Longtime surfer Grady Johnson, SC Biz News group publisher and CEO, has launched a blog about surfing along the shores east of the Cooper. Check out the latest entry here, drop him a note ... or, better yet, go surf!

Coming soon:

Charleston Fashion Week: March 24-28 at Marion Square. Marion Square turns into New York's Bryant Park for its homage to style, with runway shows, an emerging designer competition and a bridal couture event. Tickets are $40-45 for runway shows, $75 for the finale gala and $40 for the bridal couture show.

Cooper River Bridge Run: 8 a.m. April 4 starting on the Mount Pleasant side of the bridge. The 10k race brings 40,000 competitive runners and casual walkers out to the bridge every year. Registration is $30 for the run and $40 for the walk. Register through March 31  online or at the Bridge Run office in Mount Pleasant, or April 2 and 3 at the bridge run expo at the Gaillard Municipal Auditorium.

Cirque du Soleil Saltimbanco: April 22-26 at the North Charleston Coliseum. The acrobatic Saltimbanco show is inspired by the energy and fabric of urban living. Tickets are $28-90.

Charleston International Film Festival: April 23-26 at the Terrace Theater. The second annual event highlights the work of local and international filmmakers.