On March 15 and 16, Dublin hosted its annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival to celebrate Irish heritage in California. Festivities included a variety of food, a carnival, and Irish performances set to the tune of live music.
“[The festival] has a lot of different merchants. It has very good music. The food is fantastic. It just combines all these different things that I like in festivals,” said Dublin Citizen David Crago.
The Festivities
The festival includes a variety of Irish-themed activities, such as cultural displays and live performances that bring people together. Though St. Patrick’s Day is an Irish holiday at heart, all backgrounds are welcome to join the celebration for free and enjoy the day.
“The bands that were playing on the south side [of the festival] had a cool variety of music… good music,” said Dublin Citizen Jon McLaren.
Volunteers work together to provide a great experience for people who are either new to the St. Patrick’s Day Parade or have been visiting it every year. This year, they added new traditional Irish foods to menus and live Irish music. Singing, dancing, and instrument performances, like that of the harp, were included — all significant to St. Patrick’s Day. However, organizers and volunteers seek to further improve the festivities and give attendees the best experience. They are willing to give citizens choices to add to the festival next year.
“I hope they add more Irish cultural displays. Perhaps some, maybe right out in the open for everyone to see. Oh, they could also add sheepdogs to represent Ireland more. They could have people walking around in actual Irish costumes,” said McLaren.
Dublin’s Annual Parade
More notably, Dublin hosts a parade around the city to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Residents from different cities, like Pleasanton and Livermore, also come to the parade to celebrate. It is a great way for all citizens to celebrate the holiday and learn more about Irish cultural and traditions.
“I read about the parades, like the big parades, like Boston and New York City. [For us,] they could have people walking around and actual Irish costumes,” said McLaren.
Life Inside the Festival
The city works hard to make the St. Patrick’s Day festival a very fun time for those who attend. They spend hours in preparation for the big day, preparing rides, music, food, and booths in anticipation for the event. It is a whole-day festival that takes place in the heart of Dublin, next to the Dublin City Library. It is welcome to all people, even to those not celebrating St. Patrick’s Day.
“I think there’s a big collaborative effort among the staff, volunteers, and I think the people who come here every year [are] returning audience [members] that, you know, enjoy the festivities and know how to have a good time,” said volunteer Dante Biasotti.
