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Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Murphysboro in true Celtic style

Factoid:For more information on the Murphysboro St. Patrick’s Day Celtic Celebration, call (618) 684-6421 or 800-406-8774, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.murphysboro.com.

Instead of going to a smoky bar and gulping down green-tinted beer to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, head downtown and check out the Murphysboro St. Patrick’s Day Celtic Celebration on Saturday, March 15, on Main Street.

The day starts off at 9 a.m. with the 17th annual 5K walk/run. The race will begin and end at The Old Depot Restaurant parking lot, 1701 Walnut St. The pre-registration fee is $10 ($9 for River to River runners) and ends March 7. The fee the day of the event is $13. Entry forms can be picked up at the Murphysboro Chamber of Commerce.

Also beginning at 9 a.m. is the annual Irish stew cook-off at The Old Depot Restaurant. Judging begins at 2 p.m. and awards will be presented to the first, second and third place winners. Debbie Noe of the Chamber of Commerce said that most years, there aren’t a lot of entries in the contest, but this year looks to have more than usual.

From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., a book sale will take place at the Sallie Logan Public Library, 1808 Walnut St. A pre-sale will take place Friday, March 14 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Admission for the pre-sale is $5 and is free to Friends of Sallie Logan members.

The beer tent will be located at The Old Depot Restaurant and opens at 9 a.m. The Dorians, a popular Celtic band, will provide live entertainment from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

An arts and crafts sale will be located at the Mills Storage Facility, on the corner of 17th and Pine Streets.

Also, the Walnut Street businesses, including several antique and specialty shops, will be open for business at 10 a.m.

At 11 a.m., the St. Patrick’s Day parade will begin at 7th Street and go west on Walnut Street, ending at 18th Street. All entries are welcome and will be accepted up until Saturday morning. All participants must meet no later than 10:30 a.m. at the St. Andrews Church parking lot.

The Society for Creative Anachronisms will be demonstrating events from medieval times throughout the day beginning at 11:30 a.m. at The Old Depot Restaurant parking lot.

There will be a free Irish Kid’s Festival from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Murphysboro Youth Center, 1818 Walnut St. The festival is open to children in first through sixth grades and will feature arts and crafts, storytelling and games as well as prizes. Admission is free, and refreshments will be available for sale.

At noon the parking lot of the youth center will be filled up with a display of old and new fire trucks from around southern Illinois.

Like the Murphysboro Apple Festival, the Chamber of Commerce works on the St. Patrick’s Day celebration year-round, according to Noe. It has become a tradition in the town, providing an enjoyable day of fun and entertainment for all ages in a family setting.