On March 15, Mobile will turn the city green with one of the largest, most fun St. Patrick’s Day celebrations anywhere! Don’t miss it! This is the seventh year for the Luck of the Irish 5k Run, Irish Cook-Off and Parade, sponsored by the Exchange Club of Mobile. Proceeds from the events go to support The Exchange Club Family Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse in Mobile.

It’s an all-day party at Bienville Square in downtown Mobile with lots of fun, food and frivolity. There is literally something for everyone, beginning at 8:00 a.m. with a 5k Run around downtown Mobile. Preregistration for the Run includes a T-shirt, refreshments, door prizes, awards, adult beverages and, of course, lots of water. Awards and prizes are presented to the top runners in each of the many age groups, ranging from age 10 and under to ages 75 and older. There are usually about 300 people participating with young, old and in between ages either running or walking. To pre-register, please log on to the website at www.active.com  or www.luckoirish.org.

Starting at 11:00 a.m., it’s time to sample some Irish food, like Irish stew or corned beef and cabbage. All around Bienville Square, tents will house cooking teams who compete for first place trophies for best stew, best corned-beef and cabbage, best dressed Irish Chef and best decorated theme tent. There will also be concession stands with other goodies like hotdogs, popcorn, cotton candy and pizza.

Throughout Bienville Square there’ll be Irish music, Irish dancing, and entertainment of all kinds. There’s also a Children’s Corner (or Children’s Glen) with face painting, a blow-up slide and space jump, along with other exciting things to do. The Mississippi Magic Irish dancers will be performing again this year. Their performance last year was terrific! Steve Collins will again play the Uilleann pipes (the original Irish bagpipes) and this year his wife CoCo will be playing the Irish drum called the Bodhran. Joining them will be guitarist, Kelly Thibault and possibly others in their Irish band. Of course, Mark Kent, will be playing his guitar and singing Irish folk songs as he has every year since the Luck of the Irish festival began. Several bagpipers who stroll through the park all decked out in their Irish kilts and playing Irish music will be there, too.

Then comes the parade! Beginning at 2:00 p.m., the Irish-themed floats start to roll. Both children and adults riding on the floats throw lots of Irish trinkets and all sorts of goodies. Of course, there are also several awards given for different float entries, including the best-decorated float in the Luck of the Irish Parade. Be sure to go back into the park after the parade because there’s still entertainment and a lot going on.

Bienville Square will be blocked off and tickets to attend are $10.00 each for adults when purchased in advance, and $15.00 when purchased at the gate. Children under 10 years old are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. For ticket information, you may contact the Exchange Club Family Center at 251-479-5700. The parade is free to all.

Besides being loads of fun for all ages, proceeds from this event help to support The Exchange Club Family Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse, which is a 501(c)3 organization established in July 1991 through the collaboration of the Exchange Club of Mobile, the National Exchange Club Foundation, and the local Parents Anonymous Chapter. Exchange Clubs nationwide adopted child abuse prevention as their national project in 1979 and there are over 100 Family Centers in the United States. Each club supports the child abuse prevention center nearest them; therefore the money raised in the Luck of the Irish stays right in Mobile, AL.

Sponsorship in this event is a great way to promote your establishment or business and to bring people to you! There are many different levels of sponsorship that include various benefits and participation in the Luck of the Irish event. You may enter your own fl oat and/or cooking team, place an ad in the Program Directory or donate to the extremely worthy charity, or you may become a major sponsor and do it all! If you’d like to join the many sponsors – and The Exchange Club Family Center certainly needs you – please contact Lydia Pettijohn, Executive Director, at 251-479-5700.

For more information on The Exchange Club Family Center and the Luck of the Irish event, please visit one of the following websites: www.exchangeclubfamilycenter.org  or www.luckoirish.org. You may also contact The Exchange Club Family Center at the above number.

Although the nature of the work done by The Exchange Club Family Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse is very serious, the Luck of the Irish 5k Run, Cook-Off and Parade is all about fun for the entire family and celebrating St. Patrick’s Day! So wear your green… or don’t wear your green. Just join us in Mobile for an all day party and help to support the prevention of child abuse!

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