By AMANDA KIMBLE
TheFlashToday.com
DUBLIN (February 22, 2017) – The Irish Capital of Texas is busy at work, setting the stage for its annual Saint Patrick’s Day celebration.
The event promises a full day of family-friendly activities on Saturday, March 11 with a little something for everyone. From a pageant, parade and carnival rides to a gun and knife show, car show, shopping, museum tours and dining, Dublin is beckoning festival goers from across the county and beyond.
Meanwhile, organizers are calling on vendors and sponsors to help make the fete one to be remembered.
Amber Parks with Parks Hill Technology & Marketing is spearheading efforts to make the festival the biggest and best yet by taking on a new approach, which included moving events away from Wright Historic Park. She said the vendor booths and entertainment will be set up along Elm Street and outside of the historic Dublin Bottling Works, which has been a mainstay in the community for generations.
Parks provided a sampling of food vendors that have already been confirmed for event, saying they will offer menu options like barbecue, rib baskets and ice cream.
Food vendors still have time to reserve a space, with spots costing $100 to serve the festival crowd from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on March 11. But, food vendors will not be allowed to sell soft drinks.
“With Dublin Bottling Works being such an important part of the city’s history and the current economy, the local bottling plant has been given the right to serve as the sole soft drink provider of the St. Patrick’s Day festival,” Park said.
Spaces also remain for vendor booths, which are $50 for a 10×10 space without electricity and $60 for spaces with electric.
At the time of this report, Parks said vendors who had already reserved space were offering things like beauty products, gourmet pet treats, handcrafted items, clothing and more. She said all vendors will be considered, and Parks hopes to welcome an array of offerings from retailers, crafters and others.
A number of area organizations have signed up to share information with festival goers. Parks said representatives from the Army Corps of Engineers will provide information on water safety, while Dublin Police Department, STAR Council and Erath County Community Coalition provide safety tips and information on other area resources.
A vendor registration form can be found online.
Meanwhile, Parks said sponsorship requests have been sent to members of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, and she plans to knock on doors this week. She said supporters from across the county will help facilitate a children’s fun zone, which will offer all-day play for just $5 per child.
“This is a great, new way for people and businesses to get involved,” Parks said. “Funds will help provide power to the kids’ play area and assist with the cost of renting the bounce house, slide and obstacle courses and providing other live entertainment.”
The entertainment lineup will include live music, as well as performances by Texas Twisters, Red Hat Steppers and Auntie Em’s Dancers. Parks said additional acts are being added to the schedule and will be announced in early March.
“The goal is to bring new life to event and make St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin more of an attraction for the community, area residents and visitors,” Parks said.
She also said play zone fees and sponsorships will raise funds for the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, providing additional resources for the nonprofit organization to promote member businesses and events.
For information on sponsorship call Parks at (940) 507-1544 or email dublinchamber@parkshilltech.com.
Meanwhile, Luanne Schexnider, executive director of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, said the annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration has welcomed fun seekers for 40 or more years.
The festivities include the Ms. Dublin Ambassador program, with the court being chosen through events on March 9 and 10 and royalty waiving to onlookers at the annual parade.
“The parade is a highlight of our St. Partick’s Day celebration,” Schexnider said. “There is no entry fee, so we always have a high participation level.”
The parade begins to 10 a.m., and as a part of new tradition, participants and attendees are encouraged to bring canned goods to help stop hunger and support local food banks.
The event lineup actually gets moving a little earlier on March 11 with the Titan Fitness sponsored Shamrock Shuffle, which begins at 7:30 a.m. Additional details on the 5K can be found on the race’s Facebook event page.
Other attractions throughout the day include local flavors – green floats and Dublin Ginger Ale – served by Dublin Bottling Works; a Whipp Farms gun and knife show at the Dublin Rotary building; the D&D Rockin’ Rods Car Show sponsored by Keep Dublin Beautiful and plenty of flavors and places to explore.
“There really will be something for everyone,” Schexnider said.
She invites attendees to skip the work of preparing breakfast, lunch and/or dinner and try any of the city’s local dining options before or after the festival. Schexnider also encourages all visitors to Dublin to take time to stop by any of the city’s museum, which pay homage to the history of Dublin Bottling Works, rodeo and western heritage, golfing legend Ben Hogan and the city’s history.
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