Texas Tidbits: St. Patty's Day in Shamrock, Texas

As a former on-air Radio Guy, I can't tell you how many hundreds, probably thousands, of small town festivals I attended over those fifteen years. I was at 'em from Pampa to Galveston and Big Spring to Marshall. That covers quite a few miles. There is one, however, that I never had the good fortune to attend. - the Shamrock (TX) St. Patrick's Day Festival. I mean, what goes together more than a shamrock and St. Patty's Day?. OK, besides green beer. :)

Shamrock is a town of about 2000 hardy souls in Wheeler County in the Eastern Texas Panhandle, near the Oklahoma border. Each year, the town holds a great St. Patrick's Day Festival that brings in residents of Texas and Oklahoma for a weekend of fun that only a town named Shamrock could have.

Here's this years Schedule of Events:



2011 St. Patrick’s Day Celebration
Schedule of Events
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Thursday, March 17
3:30 p.m. -- 2nd Annual St. Patrick’s Invitational Track Meet at El Paso Stadium
Friday, March 18
3 p.m. -- Shamrock Alumni baseball game
4 p.m. -- Carnival opens behind Bartlett’s Hardware & Lumber
6:30 p.m. -- “Kickoff Banquet” featuring vocalist, Ashley Nicole Wheeler; Tickets $15 in advance; $20 at the door
Following the banquet -- Dance to THE RUSTY COOPER BAND at the Shamrock Country Club, $10 cover charge.  Must be 21.
Saturday, March 19
8:00 a.m. -- 5 K Fun Run, starting at Water Tower Plaza sponsored by Knights of Columbus
9:30 a.m. -- Arts and Craft Show at the Shamrock Junior High gymnasium
10 a.m. -- Donegal Beard Contest at the parade review stand, first place prize is $100
10 a.m. -- Old Settlers’ Reunion at the Shamrock Volunteer Fire Department
10 a.m. -- Roping at Shamrock Rodeo Grounds sponsored by ST Productions
10 a.m. - 3 p.m. -- St. Patrick’s Health Fair • Exclusively sponsored by Accolade Home Care @
    First Baptist Church Family Life Center
10:30 a.m. -- Parade will begin in the 800 block of North Main Street and proceed south to El Sombrero
Noon -- Carnival opens behind Bartlett’s
Noon -- Motorcycle rally at the Shamrock Area Community Center sponsored by the Shamrock Rotary Club
1 p.m. -- Antique, Classic Car, Truck and Motorcycle Show at the U-Drop Inn, judging to begin at 2 p.m.
3 p.m. -- Crowning of Miss Irish Rose at the Shamrock High School Auditorium
7 p.m. -- Shamrock Ministerial Alliance program at the First United Methodist Church Sanctuary
   7 p.m. -- Greater Faith Mission Church program at the First United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall
8-11 p.m. -- Area youth night at the First Baptist Church Family Life Center
8:30 p.m.-midnight -- Dance featuring recording star Ty Herndon; Matt Martindale Band opening. Tickets $15 in advance; $20 at the door.
Sunday, March 20
Noon -- Carnvial opens behind Bartlett’s
Noon to 4 p.m. -- Arts and Crafts show will continue at the junior high school gymnasium
1 p.m. -- Lad ‘n’ Lassie Beauty Pageant at the Shamrock High School Auditorium

That's quite a lineup with something to do for each member of your family. I love the camaraderie that functions like this St. Patty's Day gig bring to the table. And a small town like Shamrock is the perfect setting for such an event. I'd take this one over anything any big city has to offer. There's just something about country folks that makes the experience of a celebration like the Shamrock St. Patrick's Day Festival feel like you're having fun with old friends. And by the time the festival is over, you are bound to have made some friends and memories that'll last a lifetime. Good on ya, Shamrock and Happy St. Patrick's Day!