Murrieta Goes Green at Get Shamrocked Irish Festival
Who’s ready to get lucky?
This weekend, the City of Murrieta could just as well be Dublin when the Get Shamrocked Irish Festival returns to Town Square Park.
Hosted by The Shamrock Irish Pub and Eatery, Get Shamrocked is two days and three nights filled with Irish music, food, drinks and entertainment; created as a way to bring a destination event to the City of Murrieta.
“I noticed that Temecula had the Balloon and Wine Festival and, down in Old Town, there is always lots of things going on but, as a resident of Murrieta, I was sort of shocked that nothing ever seemed to go on in town,” Paul Little of Shamrock Productions said during a recent phone interview. “I went to Patrick [Ellis] from the Murrieta Chamber of Commerce and said ‘When are we going to do something that the City of Murrieta can be proud of?’ I told him I wanted to do an Irish festival and that’s how it all started.”
With Little handling the entertainment and Ellis handling event logistics and safety issues, the inaugural Get Shamrocked event last year was the first of its kind in the area and Little was naturally worried that the community may not understand the concept of an adults-only festival.
“I was really worried about doing a 21 and over event but everybody said that was such a big selling point and that they had a great time,” he said.” We had mothers and fathers having a date night on Friday or Saturday and letting their hair down, then take the kids on Sunday. That’s exactly what I want to happen.”
Last year’s Get Shamrocked went off without a hitch; leaving attendees eager for a bigger and better follow up. This year’s festival includes a full weekend of Irish fun, with Friday night and all day Saturday aimed at entertaining the grownups while Sunday is all about the kids.
“Friday night and Saturday, the dancing and the music and entertainment are geared to an adult audience. There’s going to be over thirty vendors and five major food trucks plus other food and a lot of stuff,” Little said. “Sunday is a huge family day where kids sixteen and under are free.”
Friday’s entertainment lineup includes an evening of Irish dancers and musicians, with performances from bands including Keltic Cowboys, Old Man Markley and The Mahones. Saturday is a full day of musical acts, including the perennial favorite, The Young Dubliners (pictured) on stage in the early evening.
“Celtic music is pretty unique,” Little said. “To me, Celtic music is like Reggae, or something. It’s music that everybody can really enjoy.”
On Sunday, the entertainment is more family-friendly, but still authentically Irish.
“There is Irish dancing on Friday and Saturday, but that’s more themed to the adults and on Sunday it’s more traditional Irish dancing,” Little said. “On that day, we’ve got Irish story-tellers. We’ve got interactive characters and other fun things and surprises. There’s even a kid’s bounce provided by the Lake Elsinore Storm and it’s all free. It’s all designed to be a great family day out.”
Get Shamrocked also has a few charitable elements, with tips from behind the bar being donated to the Oak Grove Center and members of the Murrieta High School Marching Band will be selling water and soda to support local causes.
Grub and libations are available for purchase so no outside food, drinks or coolers will be permitted. Parking around the park is free and attendees are encouraged to bring their own fold out chairs and blankets for comfortable concert-viewing.
For tickets and event information, visit getshamrocked.com.
They may not actually be taking a trip to Ireland, but Little hopes that those who attend the Get Shamrocked Irish Festival 2014 will leave feeling a little bit luckier.
“We work really hard to put this thing together,” Little said. “I want everyone going away from the festival saying they just enjoyed a great Irish experience.”
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