Irish ex-pats and multi-generational Irish/Americans have indulged the Sonoma County community in decades of green beer, corned beef and cabbage each annual Saint Patrick's Day, creating a party atmosphere here in the States unlike anything experienced traditionally in the emerald isle itself, where true defenders of the faith would more likely be found paying their respects in church than sporting 'kiss me, I'm Irish' t-shirts down at the local drinking hole (well, maybe after church).

So now that there has been quite enough water (not to mention tea) under the proverbial bridge since the United States parted company with those old, oppressive, Colonial types, it's high time for the fun-loving, easy-going, modern-day English Americans within our international SoCo community to bring out the Shepherd's Pie and HP Sauce, plentiful pints of hearty ale and a piano to roll out the barrel for the first annual Petaluma Saint George's Day Celebration.

Although you don't have to hold a British passport to join in the fun this Thursday (April 23rd), the Saint George's Day shindig down at Aqus Cafe in Foundry Wharf is gathering steam as Anglo neighbors plan to make this first annual knees-up (Mother Brown) a night to remember!

Think 'Down at the Old Bull and Bush' and brush up your p's and q's for some good, old-fashioned English banter with a sing-a-long of the grand, old songs made famous from the other side of the pond.

Saint George's Day Celebrations kick off at 6.30pm, but stop by anytime that evening for a pint and a bite of Lesley's special English Menu pub-grub.

Since the 14th Century, brave Saint George has been Patron Saint of England - not Ireland, Scotland or Wales. The red on white cross of the Saint George Flag represents England as a separate, cultural entity to the United Kingdom of Great Britain (think Union Jack).