Northern Spark in Lowertown - June 8, 2013

We are so excited for summer in the city. Lowertown is such a great place to be during the best season of the year.

This weekend is a perfect example, as Northern Spark takes over Lowertown for a night of art, experiencing community, and simply enjoying the creativity and beauty that the Twin Cities have to offer. A free, outdoor arts festival that is open and welcoming to patrons of all tastes and ages, Northern Spark 2013 will take over Lowertown with hundreds of artist projects in many different venues from local and national artists all in one night.

"Northern Spark is a portal to a new experience of the Twin Cities. Throughout the night we each pick a route accompanied by friends or in the companionship of familiar strangers. Together we look at art, experience community in a new way, and see the cities in a new light."

Join with fellow friends of the arts in your community on Saturday, June 8, beginning at 8:58pm. The festival runs over night until dawn (5:26am) on Sunday morning, June 9. There is plenty to see, do, and of course eat, with many food options interspersed throughout the festival. Plus, Cork's is open until 1am for your refreshment needs.

To enhance your enjoyment of the evening, Northern Spark has information to plan your night and create your own Northern Spark experience on their website. From there, you can select one of their suggested journeys, but deviation from the plan is always encouraged! Let the night take you where it will.

For a full schedule of events/exhibits, please CLICK HERE.

If you're feeling that staying up all night just isn't your thing, but you want to take part in the festival, make the Embassy Suites St. Paul - Downtown (conveniently located just blocks from all the Northern Spark happenings) your home base for the night. To reserve your room for the evening, simply CLICK HERE.

Catch a few ZZZ's and then grab Brunch (and/or some famous BYO Bloody Mary's at Cork's)  before heading home.

We hope to see everyone at Northern Spark tomorrow night!

Music in Mears - 2013

2013 marks the 10th year of the fun, FREE, outdoor summer live music festival that is Music in Mears. In one week, the weekly summer concerts kick off with pub favorites Martin Devaney and Dan Israel and the Cultivators!

Hosted in Mears Park, this year's concert schedule runs on Thursdays from June 6 to August 29, with a brief holiday hiatus on July 4th. The music typically rocks from 6 to 9pm, with multiple acts performing each Thursday.

Last year, Comcast even sponsored six weeks of free movies in the park that began at 9pm (once the music concluded). To stay up to date on this year's happenings and for the full performer line-up, we encourage you to visit the Music in Mears' website or 'Like' them on Facebook.

Of course you're more than welcome to stop at Cork's for a pre-show meal or post-show beverage.

So, mark your calendars and get ready for this decade-strong tradition right here in Lowertown.

St. Paul Saints Baseball

This week marked the opening season of St. Paul Saints' baseball. Way before the Minnesota Twins, Minneapolis and St. Paul entertained a variety of both major and minor-league baseball teams, with the first iteration of a baseball team called the Saints appearing in 1884.

The St. Paul Saints as we know them today first appeared in 1993 as part of the Northern League, an independent league that isn't affiliated with Major League Baseball. Despite a season that coincides with that of the Minnesota Twins, the Saints have enjoyed considerable popularity with a loyal fan base all their own. Known for their fun antics as well as zany publicity stunts both on and off the field, the Saints' arrival on the baseball scene originally was not warmly greeted by the Twins.

Now, though, the two teams work together to promote baseball in Minnesota, not as competitors, but friends. The Saints even hosted a promotion for this past Friday night's game, proclaiming, "This is Twinkie Territory", giving away "the last remaining" Hostess Twinkies to the first 1,000 fans.

As you probably know, the Saints long-standing hopes to build a new stadium are about to become a reality. Slated for completion in spring 2015, we look forward to enjoying all the fun of Saints baseball right here in Lowertown!

Plus, we're thrilled to host Saints fans who are looking to grab a bite before a game at Cork's or even spend the night after a late game here at the Embassy Suites St. Paul - Downtown.

In the meantime, we encourage you to check out a Saints game this season to see what all the fuss is about. And of course, you're still welcome encouraged to stop into Cork's for a bite and/or spend the night at the Embassy Suites St. Paul - Downtown after a game. Become a fan and then look forward to cheering the Saints on in style in Lowertown soon!

Top Ten Things to Do - Spring Edition

Now that it's April and the weather has finally (maybe?!) started to cooperate with the calendar, we thought we'd heat things up with thoughts of spring. Reveling not just in the melting snow and increased daylight, we're also looking forward to all of the great things to do around the cities in the Spring as well!

In no particular order, here are the top ten things to do this season!

10. Roll those windows down and that sunroof back!
9. Take a stroll. With all the lovely parks the cities have to offer, a walk is the perfect respite from the winter blues!
8. Love your neighborhood! Each Sunday Cork's is happy to offer half off to our neighbors, the residents of the condos and apartments around Cork's.
7. Cheer the Wild into the Playoffs! The NHL Playoffs are just around the corner, so hit up a Wild game (or catch all the action at Cork's) as you watch them battle for a top spot.
6. Check out one of our new rooms! Scheduled for completion in July of this year, we're so excited to showcase our "brand new" hotel.
5. Try out one of our spring friendly dishes, like the Chicken BLT Salad, Chicken Caprese Sandwich, Grilled Salmon, and Asiago Halibut.
4. Play ball! If you don't feel like getting off the bench, catch a Twins or a Saints game from the comfort of your seat, both played in the beautiful great outdoors.
3. Have a pint on the patio! Our sidewalk tables are a great way to take in the sunshine and unwind among all of the sights and sounds of Lowertown.
2. Bloody's & Brunch! There's just something so quintessential about enjoying Brunch and a well-made Bloody Mary on a springtime Sunday.
1. Shovel in shorts and a t-shirt! Hey, this is Minnesota after all, so we're just being realistic!

Here's to a great spring, friends!

The Best Happy Hour in St. Paul - Revamped!

The BEST Happy Hour in St. Paul just got a little bit better, as we've revamped our offerings!

Every Monday through Friday, join us for the Happiest Hour in Lowertown. From 4pm - 6pm, take HALF OFF all House Wines, Rail Drinks, and  Domestic Taps. Plus, get Premium Taps for just $3.

Did we mention that any of our delicious appetizers are HALF OFF as well? That's right get all of your favorite apps for Half Price.

Scotch Eggs

Reuben Rolls

Chicken Wings

This week, head on over to Cork's and get happy! 

Sláinte!

St. Patty's Day Weekend at Cork's Irish Pub

Without further ado, here are the final details for tomorrow's festivities! A Special Menu + Live Music + Drink Specials + Shot Girls + Beer Tub = The Best St. Patrick's Day (Eve) ever! The luck of the Irish will definitely be with you when you spend your day at Cork's.

The annual St. Paul St. Patrick's Day Parade starts at noon tomorrow, so make sure you have your spot for the festivities. Afterward, warm up at Cork's with your favorite Irish nibbles and imbibements. 

Additionally, as you already well know, the musical acts will be Will Harrison, followed by the Black Belt of Celt. Not only will there be Corned Beef & Cabbage as promised, but Shot Girls and the much lauded Beer Tub! 

'Twil be a St. Patty's Day you won't soon forget! See you tomorrow. 

Sláinte!

St. Patrick's Day 2013 at Cork's

The happiest day of the year is just around the corner, and we're hard at work finalizing our plans, so that you can enjoy the best St. Patty's Day yet.

Just like last year, we'll be running our famous Corned Beef & Cabbage Special ALL weekend long. From Friday, March 15 through Sunday, March 17 (St. Patty's Day), enjoy our famous Corned Beef Dinner with traditional accompaniments.

Then, on Saturday, March 16, we'll be offering a limited food menu with special entertainment from 3 to 7pm. Will Harrison, who's played the pub before, will perform first, followed by the 3-piece Black Belt of Celt.

Also, expect shot specials and for the first-time-ever, the Cork's Beer Tub.

So, make plans to join Cork's for the best day of the year, and you won't be disappointed!

Sláinte!

Cupid's Love/Hate Pub Crawl - 2/16/13

"Love it or hate it, Cupid has a Pub Crawl planned for you." Just in time for Valentine's Day, Cork's is proud to play host to what promises to be quite the night. Whether you're together forever or single and ready to mingle, join us for the Cupid's Love/Hate Pub Crawl on Saturday, February 16, 2013.

With shuttles to beat the cold, contests (for Sexiest Cupid, Limo Trips, and FREE drinks), awesome t-shirts, and proceeds benefiting Blair's Tree of Hope and Playmakers, you have every reason to come out for a great time at some of the hottest spots in St. Paul!

THE DETAILS

REGISTRATION: To register yourself (and your special someone), CLICK HERE. Simply agree to the conditions of the waiver, and then you get to choose your Pub Crawl Package. Act fast, though, because prices go up as the Crawl approaches.

Cupid's Basic Package

Prices/deadlines: 

$10 through 2/6/2013 

$20 from 2/7/2013 through 2/16/2013

- Includes wristband to get drink specials and available transportation throughout the crawl.

Cupid's Must Have Package

Prices/deadlines:

$20 until 2/8/2013 

$30 from 2/9/2013 until 2/16/2013

- Includes all Basic Package items as well as: T-Shirt, Marker, Kazoo, Lanyard

Plus, you don't even need to worry about a ride home! The Embassy Suites St. Paul - Downtown has reserved a block of rooms that night at a special rate specifically for the Cupid's Love/Hate Pub Crawl. The special room rate will be available until February 16th or until the group block is sold-out, whichever comes first. To reserve your room, CLICK HERE. 

WRISTBAND PICK-UP: To pick up your wrist band and the package items you ordered previously, you have two options. On both days, pick-up will be right here at Cork's. 

Friday, February 15 from 4-10pm (enjoy Happy Hour specials from 4-6pm while you're here), or 

Saturday, February 16 (the day of the event) from 11am - 3pm. 

THE CRAWL

Finally, it begins! 

(Please note: This is currently tentative and times may change as well as route). 

START: Cork's Pub 3:00-4:00pm

$3 Domestic Taps and Bottles, $4 Premium Taps, $5 Bloody Mary's

SHUTTLE to:

Barrio Tequila Bar 4:00-5:00pm

$4 Barrio Margaritas

SHUTTLE to:

BullPen Sports Saloon 5:00-6:00pm

Sexiest Cupid Contest (M/F)

$3 Captains & $2 Custom "Sweethearts" Shots

SHUTTLE to:
Eagle Street Grille 6:00-7:00pm

$2 Bud, Bud Light, and Mich Golden Lights

SHUTTLE to: 
Patrick McGovern's 7:00-8:30pm

$5 "McLovins" - Smucker up with this Bacardi Grape punch!

WALKING to:

Tom Reid’s 8:30-10:00pm

$4 Opulent Vodka Red Bulls

WALKING to:
Grand 7 Saloon 10:00-11:30pm

$5 Domestic Taps

SHUTTLE to:

Cork's / Embassy Suites St. Paul - Downtown

Once safely back, you can either continue the party at our very own "after party", head up to your room to sleep it off, or arrange for a sober ride home! (Remember, if you stay, you get to take advantage of our complimentary cooked to order breakfast the next morning. Nothing cures a hangover like an omelet!)

Now that you have all the details, we bet you just can't wait to get signed up! Grab your friends and special someones, get registered, and prepare yourselves for one fantastic, non-sappy, V-Day adventure.

If you still need more info, visit the event website at http://www.cupidslovehate.com/. Then, proceed as outlined above.

National Night Out - Tuesday, August 7, 2012

As proud members of our downtown St. Paul community, we're thrilled to participate in the Wacouta Common 2nd Annual National Night Out celebration once again.

Held each year, National Night Out is a community-based program that promotes "neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships in our fight for a safer nation."

This year's downtown celebration will be held on Tuesday, August 7th from 5pm to 7pm. The party will be held in the field on the corner of Temperance Street and 10th Street, (just about a block from our parking lot).

Cork's will be serving up root beer and bottled water and just like last year, Black Sheep will be providing their delicious coal-fired pizzas. There will also be music from KFAI radio Deejay Larry Englund, and we're sure many of our neighbors will be coming out to get to know one another better and celebrate the strengthening of our community.

So, stop on by tomorrow night for some root beer, pizza, or even just a water, and a great time with your neighbors! We'll see you there!

Lowertown First Fridays

Did you know that the first Friday of every month, local artists open their studios and host a gallery opening or event for the general public? And that's not even the best part....Most of the time these events, openings, parties, and more are FREE! That's right, you can come out in support of local artists and still not break the bank.

Throw in Happy Hour at Cork's first, and you have one very reasonable, very fun Friday night planned!

This Friday, August 3, AZ Gallery is presenting Friends with Benefits. This free and open to the public show is centered around friends of the gallery members and the inspiration they've lent those members. The First Friday gallery opening kicks off at 5pm with the reception and party running from 5:30 to 10pm. Food, music, and a cash bar are available.

If you do happen to miss the First Friday party, you can still see the show at the AZ Gallery through September 2.

If you're scouring for things to do, head into St. Paul for some great local art and Cork's is always happy to provide the refreshments.

See you Friday!

Love Thy Neighborhood

Here at Cork's we love our neighbors! Really, we do! So much so that we dedicate an entire day of the week to them. Every Sunday, our neighbors, residents of Downtown St. Paul, are treated to our 'Love Thy Neighborhood' special.

Love Thy Neighborhood

25% off your entire bill every Sunday! 

Simply present your driver's license or a piece of mail, verifying your residence and voila, half off! 

See you Sunday! Love you!