Dublin is getting even more green as decorations have started popping up for the annual St. Patrick’s Day festivities.
This year’s celebration will be held on March 12 with vendors, live music, the annual parade, an interactive murder mystery, the Shamrock Shootout disc golf tournament and more. Dublin Chamber of Commerce Interim Executive Director Amy McDonald offered the following column on happenings being planned for the event:
It’s that time again! We are again showing our true green colors as the “Irish Capital of Texas,” with our St. Patrick’s Festival on March 11-12.
While you can visit www.dublintxfestivals.com to get all the details and most recent schedules, please know that this Festival was designed with local folks in mind. We will have numerous ways our area residents can step up and show off Dublin.
Friday night will be hosted by Lucky Vines Vineyard & Winery and Lucky Brewing Company. The Welcome Event will include wandering bagpipes, carnival games, food trucks, live music, sipping and such. Come on out and join us for a lowkey night of Irish themed fun. (It’s rumored that green beer and green wine will be available.)
Bright and early Saturday morning, get your exercise in at Titan Fitness’ Shamrock Shuffle 5K.
Saturday downtown, enjoy shopping from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. with vendors at Hogan’s Alley, Elm St. and Grafton St. or at the growing list of shops downtown. Vendors are welcome, and you will find the exhibitor registration form at the Festival webpage or the Dublin Chamber’s facebook page. We request your registration by March 10.
At Celebration Park next to Dublin Bottling Works, the Crazy Heart Lighting and Sound Company is providing another highdollar stage for us. Enjoy live music from Irish bands, bagpipers, fiddles and more, thanks to a donation from the Dublin Economic Development Corporation.
The Parade will occur at 10 a.m., with line-up at 9 a.m. This year’s parade will be led by Jared Malone, a well-known bagpiper sponsored by Things Celtic. The parade will have a slightly different route, heading south on Patrick St. and turning left (east) onto Blackjack St. (Hwy. 6). It will run officially for two blocks on Blackjack St. You can download the parade entry form from the website or the Chamber’s Facebook page.
Dublin’s D&D Rockin’ Rods Car Show is expected to bring 40-50 cars in to participate in the Parade and Car Show. After the Parade, the Cars will be lined up down east Elm St. to show off and compete for various prizes. Bring your car and join the fun or just come down and check out the beauties.
Plan to enter your pie or your Tex-Irish version of Irish stew in Saturday’s Tex-Irish Stew Cook-off and Pie Competition. Sponsored by Cottonwood Church, this competition will be judged then many attendees will have the opportunity to taste the delectable morsels. Check in for the Stew portion of the competition will be at 8:30 a.m., and more details and rules can be found at www.dublintxfestivals.com.
Bring the kids down Saturday to play in the free bounce houses, ride the train, or to participate in the Tex-Irish games. At 2 p.m., gather your good buddies to compete in the Tex-Irish Games at Celebration Park, or check out Dublin Disc Golf Club’s Shamrock Shoot-Out at the City Park Saturday morning.
Enter yourself and/or your pet in the Irish Costume Contest at 11 a.m., following the parade. Bring your furry friends downtown to participate in the dog show at 11:30. Wear your kilt, or volunteer to be a judge, at the Bonny Knees Kilt competition at 12:30.
You might choose to flaunt your beard at the Deer Lease Bar & Grill’s beard competition at 1:30 p.m., or join your friends to celebrate the Lucky Nutrition ribbon-cutting grand opening at 1 p.m.
Finally, close out the night with an old fashioned street dance, with music from Southern Rustics.
Alcohol beverages will be sold by the folks from Chamber member Casa Azteca all day Saturday, and are available only to adults wearing an official wristband.
All in all, this year’s Festival promises to be an amazingly fun event – for locals and tourists. We think we’ll have a ton of people in town, so plan to help us make this event spectacular by participating! Let’s show off Dublin!