Mullingar parade will see an explosion of colour

St. Patrick"s Day revellers will paint the town green on Tuesday next, March 17, when thousands of people line the streets of Mullingar to celebrate the 2009 St. Patrick"s Day Parade.Laughs, gasps and fun galore are on the menu for what promises to be the greatest festival weekend in Mullingar, which promises to banish the recession blues, and set off an explosion of colour in the Midlands.Over the past few months, the town"s hard working St. Patrick"s Day Parade Committee have pulled out all the stops to ensure that this year"s event goes down as the best ever.Last year"s star attraction, the Púca dragon, wowed audiences lining the streets of the town, and this year a huge inflatable phoenix will achieve the same effect when it graces Mullingar"s main thoroughfare.The weekend officially begins with art exhibitions by Mullingar Arts Guild and JP Donleavy at the Annebrook House Hotel, Mullingar, opening at 8pm on the night of Saturday, March 14 (running until March 17 inclusive). Other artists featured include John Keating (Market House, March 14-17) and various artists at Day"s Bazaar, Oliver Plunkett Street (March 14-17 also).Sunday, March 15 follows with a Ballynacargy Gallery Art Exhibition at the Greville Arms Hotel, Mullingar (11am); and a céilí mór at Belvedere House and Gardens, Mullingar (kicking off at 2pm), which will surely get everyone in the humour for all things Irish.The St. Patrick"s Day celebrations proper will be preceded on Monday, March 16 by the arrival of Duffy"s Circus in Mullingar (to be confirmed), which is due to run until March 22; also, there"s an historic walking tour of old Mullingar, starting at Market House in the town centre (3pm).On the day itself, street closures will begin at 1pm, with on-street entertainment beginning at 2pm.Entertainment will feature at a number of locations throughout the town before the parade begins, and will be divided up as follows:Market Square/Oliver Plunkett Street: PA System/Airdancers; Mini Roadster car; Mickey and Minnie Mouse; Stiltwalkers; Carnival Costumes; Stunt Bikes; Unicycle; Kung Fu Panda; Juggling; Dancers; Magician and Dove; Clowns; Ringmaster; Strongman; Drummers; Confetti Streamers.Mount Street - Dance Stage: Energy Plus School of Dance; Dance Factory; Irish Dancing.Dominick Street: Duffy Circus Acts (subject to confirmation); Barman"s Race; Live Music; Samba Samba Band; Clowns; Costume Characters; Magic Show; Stilts; Fire Act; Dare Devils; Walkabout Elephant Ballerina.Castle Street: Rodeo Bull; Inflatable Assault Course; Gladiator Duel (Adult and Kids); Micro Bikes; Bouncy Castle/Ball Pond; Pole Jousting; Swing Boats.At 4pm, the parade will begin at Mullingar"s Green Bridge, working its way down Dominick Street, Oliver Plunkett Street and Pearse Street, before continuing towards the Dublin Bridge via Austin Friars" Street.There are a number of floats and features to keep an eye out for, most notably the inflatable Phoenix, circus acts, and a Defence Forces" display. A total of five marching bands have entered, namely the town"s very own Mullingar Town Band, as well as Clondalkin Town Band, Athy Town Band, the Dr. Wright Memorial Pipe Band, and the Eglin Park Band from Vancouver, Canada.Like any St. Patrick"s Festival Parade, the Mullingar event will throw up a few surprises, so keep your eyes peeled for the wide variety of floats and costume characters on display.Every year, the Mullingar St. Patrick"s Day Parade committee is indebted to it extensive list of sponsors and volunteers, and once again, they have extended a sincere note of thanks to all those who have helped plan the forthcoming parade to date.