It’s almost St. Patrick’s Day!! How will you be celebrating?
San Diego's 32nd annual St. Patrick's Day celebration will have some North County competition this year, when the Vista Village Business Association hosts its inaugural St. Patrick's Day Parade & Fetival on Saturday.
For 32 years, the Irish Congress of Southern California has staged a St. Patrick's Day event in Balboa Park. But this year, North County residents can save a few dollars on gas and head instead to downtown Vista, where local civic groups, businesses and community organizations will go green on Saturday.
Vista's celebration begins at 10 a.m. with a flag ceremony at the corner of South Citrus Avenue and East Broadway featuring the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick and a Marine Corps Color Guard. Immediately afterward, local Celtic fiddler Patric Petrie will serve as grand marshal for the parade, which will begin at Citrus and Broadway and will have 30 to 35 floats, according to event spokesman Gumaro Escarcega.
From 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., South Indiana Street in front of Hennessey's Tavern will be blocked off for a community festival. Besides vendor and food booths, there will be children's contests for "Most Freckles" and "Cutest Red Hair." A scavenger hunt ---- with the prize a gold coin valued at $250 ---- is planned (hunt entry fee is $10). There will be a beer garden sponsored by Mother Earth Brew Co. and California Fruit Wine, live Irish music by Patric Petrie at noon and music by Steelin' Tin from 2 to 4 p.m.
The Village Idiots poet society will host a free Limerick Writing and Reading Fest from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at Gallery 204 on Main Street. And aspiring artists can decorate the downtown streets at a chalk art festival.
Visit northcountystpatricksdayparade.com or call 760-414-9391 .
Meanwhile, down in San Diego, the 32nd annual San Diego St. Patrick's Day Parade and Festival returns Saturday to Balboa Park.
As many as 3,000 people turn out for the annual event ---- billed as the third largest St. Patrick's-themed parade in the country ---- this year based at Sixth Avenue and Balboa Drive between Quince and Laurel streets.
While the parade is a big attraction for most festivalgoers, Irish Catholics will start the day early with a pre-parade Mass at 7 a.m. at the Imperial House Restaurant, 505 Kalmia St. The Mass is hosted by the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians.
The festival grounds open at 9 a.m., with a flag-raising at 10 a.m. in the Balboa Park festival area. The parade gets under way at 10:30 a.m. at Sixth Avenue and Juniper Street. Its more than 150 entries will include marching bands, floats, police and fire department units, the Emerald Societies, border patrol units, Scout troops, clowns, equestrian entries, bagpipe contingents, dance groups, drill teams, roller skaters, Shriners, antique cars, the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, representatives from Ireland and the reigning Miss Colleen and Smiling Irishman.
The festival runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. This year's fest features vendor booths, carnival rides, a kids' zone, two beer gardens and live entertainment on two stages by Neck & Neck, Country Rockin Rebels, Bill Cardinal and his Canyon Band, Stoney B Blues Band, the San Diego Firefighters Emerald Society Pipes & Drums, Tony Cummins, Eamon Carroll and George Rubsamen, Tim Foley & the Random Folk and the Shamrockers. There will also be a Celtic Village that re-creates the sights and sounds of Ireland in the 1600s.
Because parking can be scarce, festivalgoers are advised to park in the old Navy Hospital parking lot on Park Boulevard and board a free shuttle to the festival grounds. The shuttle will run every 15 minutes from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Visit www.stpatsparade.org or call 858-268-9111 .
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