SPRING IS COMING: Slowly but surely, the ice will melt, the sun will come out, and we’ll see spring again in Corktown. Photo by Dan Philips.

It’s March Break! That means you’re either a) lucky enough to be off work or school this week; or b) not.

Either way, there’s a lot going on in Corktown.

To start, have you seen this great graphic put together by the Grid‘s David Topping? (You can see it bigger here.) It lays out all the development in the West Don Lands very clearly. Worth a look if you’ve been puzzled by what exactly all those cranes are building south of Eastern Avenue.

The New Ideas Festival at Alumnae Theatre continues this week with some more great stage productions, including The Deepest Trench by Chloë Whitehorn, Over the Edge by Catherine Frid and more. Grab your tickets and passes while you still can.

On Wednesday, March 13, our friends at Enoch Turner Schoolhouse will be hosting a screening of The Coffin Ship Hannah, a “documentary recounting the extraordinary tale of a ship carrying Irish immigrants fleeing the potato famine in Ireland to Canada.” It’s all designed to get you into the spirit for St. Patrick’s Day. Doors open at 6:30 for a 7 p.m. screening, with a discussion following. Visit the website for details on obtaining tickets.

For your Thursday, March 14, libation lovers should consider Jamie Kennedy’s Gilead. They’re hosting an evening of delicious hand-crafted cocktails featuring Dillon’s Small Batch Distillers’ spirits, with feature cocktails available for just five bucks. They promise great food as well. No reservations are required — just come by between 6:30 and 9 p.m.

And for St. Patrick’s Day itself, there’s a couple of local choices. First, the Stirling Room in the Distillery is holding classy affairs both Saturday and Sunday. Visit their website for details. And, of course, the Dominion on Queen will be in on the action as well with a Paddy’s Day party featuring the band Profits & Losses. The Dominion party heats up early, at 4 p.m.

But if you’re in the mood for something completely different, Segway of Ontario is offering two special pre-season walking tours this weekend. But beware: the tours are HAUNTED! Or so I am told. Get in touch with them for details.

Got a news item or upcoming event that you think Corktowners should know about? Get in touch via website@corktown.ca.