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Chance Hair (right) and Erin Downs, here with their bodhran, a traditional Irish drum, help set up Indianapolis activities for St. Patrick's Day. (Frank Espich / The Star)

To step inside the home of Chance Hair and Erin Downs at this time of year is to walk into a green whirl of seasonal decoration.

With a hard freezing rain falling outside, the display inside makes the place feel almost like Christmas, though not gaudy. Instead, it feels calm and welcoming. And Irish.

Hair and Downs both come from Irish stock. They met at Cathedral High School (Junior Prom was their first date, and they married five years ago). And at 32 years old, both now are seemingly in full concert with their Irish heritage -- part of an Emerald Isle army of volunteers helping organize and coordinate the 2008 St. Patrick's Day Celebration here.

They have been to Ireland three times, including a stint working on organic farms (adding to the ever-present "green" theme within their lives). Then there are those decorations.

A sign above an archway reads "Cead mile failte," a Gaelic phrase meaning "One hundred thousand welcomes." There are paintings by an Irish artist on the walls, as well as framed sketches of "Ogham" characters from a third-century Gaelic alphabet.

In front of an armoire sits a bodhran made by the only man in Ireland who still stretches and paints his own sheepskin for the traditional drums. Then there's the Guinness poster on the fridge and the Irish flag on the wall

They literally wear the season of St. Patrick on their sleeves. On this recent Tuesday afternoon, Hair sports a knit sweater that looks like it was made to keep out the winds near the Cliffs of Moher, and Downs reclines in a dark green chair, wearing a light green top.

After their first trip in 1996, the pair became involved through their family in the St. Patrick's Day parade in town, and have helped out on and off with floats ever since.

Last year, they helped run the first Downtown Tent Party, where the Irishman of the Year is honored, and people can grab a corned beef sandwich, clam chowder and a $3 green beer. This year, they're going all-out, helping organize the event, as well as working Saturday at the Shamrock Run (starting about 5 a.m.).

But it counts as work experience, in a way, as Hair studies hotel management and Downs studies event management, which they both do in addition to their full-time work at McNamara Florist.

"We're pretty busy people," Downs said. "This is almost like our vacation. We're taking the day off on Tuesday."

The 2008 St. Patrick's Day Celebration

Chance Hair and Erin Downs are just two of many volunteers who help put on the festivities every year through the Indy Sports Foundation. For more information about St. Patrick's Day events on Saturday and Monday, visit www.indystpats.com or the links you'll find under related events on this post.