The Ashland community is set to kick off spring with its St. Patrick’s Day celebration on Saturday March 15.
The city will be adorned in “green glitz” as the public is free to enjoy the walking parade, the dying of the creek and special menu items at locally owned restaurants and bars.
While the actual holiday is on Monday March 17, the City of Ashland has discovered that they get more positive participation on weekends due to school not being in session.
“I realize St. Patrick’s Day is on the 17, however that is a weekday and what [the city has] discovered is that families, teachers, students, and everyone seems to prefer a Saturday celebration because then more people can attend,” said Mayor Matt Miller.
Starting at 11 a.m. residents and visitors wishing to participate in the walking parade will meet at Foundation Plaza.
There will be registration at the event, so no need to worry about planning ahead.
In addition to those walking, The Amazing Giants, an entertainment company including stilt walkers, will be returning to perform at the parade.
Leading the parade will be the Kilt Brigade. If anyone wishes to be a part of it, the mayor has posted a link on Facebook to buy matching kilts from Amazon.
The parade route is quite simple.
Miller shared, “at about 11:30 people of all ages will walk down Mainstreet to Corner Park where we will dye our town creek a bright vivid green.”
At approximately noon, the mayor and six winners from the first ever Mayor’s coloring contest will dye the creek green.
The dye used is environmentally friendly and starts as a bright orange powder. Every 20 minutes the leprechauns will make sure the creek is vibrant in color.
The mayor’s coloring contest is for adolescents between the ages of five and 18. All mediums are welcome, and entries are due Thursday March 13 at 4 p.m. Once the six winners are chosen, their parents will be contacted.
“We developed a very festive image of a leprechaun standing in front of a rainbow coloring sheet. We have posted it online and on our website, children from the ages of five to 18 years old will be able to print off that PDF picture of the leprechaun in front of the rainbow, and then they get to exercise their creative talents and color it in. They can use whatever medium they like,” said Miller.
The city itself will be covered in decorations such as ballons, flags and bunting.
Miller exclaimed, “this year, we’re going to have green and white balloons on all of the light poles. We’re going to have Saint Patrick’s Day flags blowing in the wind right next to the balloons. And this year we’re even adding green and white bunting across Main Street, so it should really look festive.”
Miller is eager to see all come out and enjoy the festivities as the Ashland Community invites the spring of 2025 with open arms.
He said, “For Saint Patrick’s Day we’re hoping that it’ll be a bright sunny morning with warm temperatures.”
