Fadó Irish Pub kicks off its St. Paddy's Day celebrations today with a hair-raising charity event

St. Paddy's Day isn't until next Thursday, but already, Fadó Irish Pub and Restaurant, the behemoth Irish-themed watering hole, roughly the size of Dublin, is gearing up to paint the town green -- starting with your bald head.

The Irish pub has teamed up with St. Baldrick's Foundation, a local, volunteer-driven nonprofit that funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the U.S. government, to encourage people to shave off their locks today in an effort to honor those kids who've lost their own hair to cancer -- and to raise money to further the organization's mission.

Nearly 300 people have already committed to getting their noggins buzzed by stylists from Salon on the Boulevard, and beginning at noon today, you can join the crowds that gather outside Fado to watch the hair fly. Even better: You can eat, because 20 percent of all food sales at Fado will go directly to St. Baldrick's Foundation. And if you feel like getting your tresses trimmed, and paint-stroking your shiny bald head shamrock green, you can do that, too.

"Those shaving their heads will be enthusiastically cheered on by crowds of friends, family, doctors, nurses, children and others who have been touched by cancer in hopes to further awareness that pediatric cancer, the number one disease killer of children, is terribly under-funded," says event organizer Dara Swoik-Johnson.

In addition to pouring plenty of liquid assets and offering a board of Irish favorites like corned beef and cabbage, fish and chips and shepherd's pie, Fadó will also be center stage to live music later tonight, and Slacker and Steve, the hysterical mouthpieces from Alice 105.9, will do a love show on the patio from 5 to 7 p.m.

If you're willing to be a "shavee," or want more information about the event, point your clicker to www.stbaldricks.org/events/mypage/eventid/132/eventyear/2011

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