The short, sweet and authentic party line up for St. Patrick's Day.

Realistically speaking, there aren't many authentic St. Patrick's day celebrations that party it up with line dancing and authentic music. Parties with a pint of Guinness and cheap shamrock hats? Yes. Parties with jigs and reels? There's two on the Monterey Peninsula this weekend. 

Dave Holodiloff Band plays at the London Bridge Pub (256 Figueroa St., Monterey; 372-0581) on Friday, March 17, from 7-10pm. Holodiloff himself is beloved locally for his contemporary takes on folk, latin and jazz, but this time around he's dedicating an entire show to Irish music. 

Expect reels and jigs from his CD Beloved Songs of Ireland, like "Drowsy Maggie," "Banish Misfortune" and "The Irish Washerwoman."

On March 19, at 3pm, the little red Pagrovian church, aka St. Mary's-by-the-Sea (146 12th St. Pacific Grove, 224-3819), is hosting a triple threat: Paper Wings, Molly's Revenge and the Rosemary Turco Irish Dancers. 

Folk duo Paper Wings does soulful Appalachian-inspired folk, lined with deep harmonies and inflected with banjo, which seems all but appropriate to the American-Irish experience.

History lesson here: When the Catholic Irish immigrated to America, they mostly holed up in the eastern mountain range. The result musically, was story-driven lyrics with acoustic instrumentation, that most Americans call bluegrass. 

The shindig gains momentum with the addition of Molly's Revenge, an acoustic Celtic quartet of local favorites, who can really enliven the mood with their whistles bodran and mandola. 

To make it a real dance party, the celebration also lines up (pun intended) the Rosemary Turco Irish Dancers, who specialize in the art of line dancing. 

Now that's lucky.