[SVDC 467] St. Paddy's Day story

[Brian Berg]

This will likely be in tomorrow's *Saratoga News*, and is online at
 http://www.mercurynews.com/saratoga/ci_14637261?nclick_check=1


Village goes green'”uh, not for environment, for St. Pat's Day

By Brian Babcock

bbabcock at community-newspapers.com
Posted: 03/08/2010 07:33:52 PM PST
Updated: 03/08/2010 07:33:53 PM PST

No one would mistake the Saratoga Village for the Emerald Isle, but on March
13 there will be a lot of Irish food to eat and events to partake in that
will turn Big Basin Way as green as Ireland.

Instead of rain clouds, organizers of the St. Paddy's Day celebration are
hoping to see clear skies and a rainbow that will lead Saratogans straight
to the festivities in the Village.

Although residents won't find a pot of gold waiting for them, they will
discover traditional Irish music, dancing and food, and a lot o' activities
for children. The festivities will begin at 3 p.m. and last until 5.

And residents shouldn't be bothered if they're not Irish, said event
coordinator Marilyn Marchetti.

"My favorite line is to say that everybody's a little Irish on St. Patrick's
Day," she said. The Saratoga Village Development Council, a local group
whose sole mission is to bring foot traffic to the downtown area, is
sponsoring the event. This is the fifth year the council has put on the
celebration.

Hundreds of people partake in Saratoga's St. Patrick's Day celebration
yearly. Although the event isn't being held on the exact date, there will
still be a lot of Irish-esque activities to participate in.

There will be free Irish pictures for children to color and free green
lemonade and cotton candy will be available, which the children love to
devour, Marchetti said.

Children will also be able to search for shiny, new lucky pennies,
which will be scattered throughout the Village.

"A leprechaun hides them along the sidewalk," Marchetti said, adding that
the penny search is as popular with teens as it is with young children.

"They're not just pennies to them," she says. "They're shiny, so they're
special." Grown-ups and children alike will also have the chance to win
prizes by guessing how many green Jelly Bellies are in a jar that will be on
display during the event.

Although green balloons will mark the areas where there are activities
happening, Marchetti said everyone should head over to the Bank of America
parking lot first to pick up a program with a list of events. While there,
kids can pick up a bag to hold the lucky pennies they find.

Music and entertainment will be on display, with bagpipes being played and
Irish dancers from the Kennelly School delighting audiences with some nifty
footwork.

"The highlight of the afternoon is the Irish dancers," Marchetti said,
adding that adults attend the event specifically to watch the young girls
dance to the Irish music.

Marchetti said she hopes that families stick around to eat some of the
traditional Irish food the restaurants will be cooking up. Bella Saratoga
and other restaurants will serve some special meals that could include
shepherd's pie and corned beef and cabbage, she said.

"It's a great day for people to come down to the Village and enjoy the
festivities," Marchetti said. "It's really a great family activity."

Copyright © 2010 - San Jose Mercury News
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