Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Day Celebration this year was one of its liveliest with downtown businesses and restaurants seeing increased activity starting Thursday and carrying through the weekend.
Multiple businesses including Things Celtic and Blackjack’s reported their biggest business days in history.
After well-attended pageants on Thursday and Friday night (see story at left), the day kicked off with more than 80 runners in the Shamrock Shuffle 5k (see story on page B6) and a parade which extended for approximately 45 minutes, led by the Dublin Leprechaun on a DVFD fire engine and included classic cars, horse and riders and a large variety of floats.
Shoppers were also able to take in the D&D Rockin’ Rods car show on Elm Street and the Market Day farmers market at Wright Historic Park.
Organizer Lee Leatherwood with the Dublin Chamber of Commerce also reported a large amount of foot traffic for the central festival offerings at the City Park Saturday, which included approximately 60 vendors, games and activities, a cornhole tournament, stew cookoff, cow patty bingo, a P.A.W.S. dog adoption event and live music.
“The flow of traffic went really well,” said Leatherwood of people coming and going to the park. “The festival for all intents and purposes was great.”
Sound of Dublin band members directed hundreds of cars to parking spots throughout the day as they tried to keep the traffic orderly.
Leatherwood thanked everyone in the Chamber board as well as the many volunteers and helpers who helped make it a success. (This includes Gabe Leatherwood and city of Dublin employees for responding quickly to a problem with electrical issues.)
Leatherwood was also grateful to all the attendees for showing respect and leaving the park clean after such a busy day.
He has heard a lot of positive feedback through Saturday and the weekend, but the chamber is already examining successes and thinking of ways to improve for next year. Chief among those are bringing the carnival back to tie in to the festival and the reintroduction of Irish games akin to the previously popular Highland games.
“We start working next month on planning and we welcome anybody with input or wanting to help,” Leatherwood said.
Two of Leatherwood’s favorite moments from Saturday were tied to two offerings re-introduced this year.
He had a conversation with Marnie and Chuck Schoenfeld from Burnet, the respective first and second place winners of the stew competition. He enjoyed hearing how the couple travel to cooking competitions and were looking for a place to spend their anniversary after being married on St. Patrick’s Day. They thought Dublin, Texas sounded like the perfect destination this year.
Third place in the stew competition went to Laura and Jimmy Leatherwood with First Methodist Church while fourth place went to Double N Cowboy Church.
Lee Leatherwood was also delighted by the response to Cow Patty Bingo, particularly a little girl who spent hours outside the pen as the cow moved around the square before relieving itself. There was two hours and 15 minutes of anticipation before the cow dropped a prize on Jr. Vargas’ spot on the bingo board.
Bean bags were flying near the bingo board during the Corn Hole tournament sponsored by Night and Day Services. First place in the tournament went to Corn Thugs and Harmony – Shannon Foster and Carie Knoop. Second place was awarded to Mom Squad – Patricia and Grayci/ Hannah Vargas. Third place went to Dynamic Duo, Kristi Watkins and Debbie Charles.