Claremore Celebrates St. Paddy’s Day
Claremore Main Street will host the 4th annual Bangers and Mash lunch, stroll and pot o’ gold giveaway on March 16.
By: Carol Beck-Round | Category: In Our Communities | Issue: March 2012
Bangers and Mash event committee members include (L to R): Dave McFall, Tim Wantland, Carolyn Peterson and Dale Peterson. (Not pictured: Cindy Bissett, Jerad Girten, Debi Ward, Jeri Koehler and Barry Clark.)
Would you like to win a pot o’ gold? You don’t even need to locate the rainbow for your opportunity to win the prize that is part of Claremore Main Street’s 4th annual Bangers and Mash lunch and stroll to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
“This is a unique celebration because most people don’t do anything special in this area to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day,” says Cindy Bissett, Claremore Main Street executive director. “It’s just a fun-filled time and family-oriented event. It is also an opportunity for us to raise money for downtown improvements such as planters, flags, art murals, benches and other projects.”
To celebrate “the wearin’ o’ the green,” Claremore Main Street organizers are once again cooking up bangers and mash, a traditional Irish meal, which will be served from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Claremore Daily Progress parking lot, located west of their building, on Friday, March 16.
“Bangers are a traditional Irish sausage similar to bratwurst but with different seasonings,” says Cindy. “John Walke of Walke Brothers Meats researched the original banger recipe, and he makes them especially for this event.”
Along with bangers and mashed potatoes, revelers can get a dessert and a drink to complete their Irish meal for only $6. If you’d like to enjoy bangers and mash but cannot attend the event, pre-orders will be taken. Pre-orders must be made by Thursday, March 15. Meals will be delivered between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on March 16. “We need to know how many drivers to have ready for delivery,” says Cindy. She also points out that bangers and mash make a lovely meal for office groups at lunchtime. Call Claremore Main Street at (918) 341-5881 or email eat0@eau0eav0eaw0 to place your order.
An added feature this year will be the “Kissing of the Blarney Stone.” According to legend, kissing the stone endows the kisser with the gift of the gab – great eloquence or skill at flattery. So, if you find a need to improve your speaking skills, you might want to check out this addition to the annual celebration. If you’re brave enough to kiss it, you get a special T-shirt that if you wear to next year’s event, you will get a discount on your meal.
Returning to entertain the crowd will be a local Irish band, The Timothy O’Brian Celtic Cheer Band, who will also lead the group on “The Stroll” beginning at Claremore’s “Irish District.” The stroll starts at 12:30 p.m. on the east side of Bike-About Bicycles, where participants will find a ghost sign with a green shamrock on it. Strollers will proceed to the Blarney’s Store, owned by a local Irish couple, and will continue through downtown.
“Our stroll is the biggest non-parade in the area,” says Cindy. “I don’t think people realize we have a tiny Irish district right here in downtown Claremore.”
To get in on the fun and win some prizes, you can start visiting participating downtown merchants on March 1 to get your free entry for the giveaway. Two $25 drawings for cash prizes and merchandise will be given away during the event, and participants must be present to win. However, the big pot o’ gold drawing, worth over $400 in cash and prizes, will not require your attendance. You can sign up ahead of time at participating Main Street merchants.
Downtown merchants will also be selling pre-event lunch tickets, and door prizes will be given away the day of the event. “Last year we sold out all 500 bangers,” says Cindy. “People still come out if it is cold because it’s a great day to have fun. And, if you didn’t eat your black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day for good luck, here’s your second chance.”
Participating merchants include The Orange Owl, Bike-About Bicycles, Boarding House Books, Boom-a-Rang Diner, A Place of Grace, Claremore Daily Progress, Thrift Harbor, Homeward Bound, Ann & Barbara’s, Antiques Etc., Outwest Home Decor, Emerald Antiques, Hudson Metcalf Antique Mall, Waterfront Frame & Art, A Gallery of the Arts, and Savannah’s Boutique.
Dig out your green clothes and join the fun at Claremore Main Street’s Bangers and Mash lunch, stroll and pot o’ gold giveaway on March 16.
For more information, contact
Claremore Main Street
(918) 341-5881
About Author Carol Beck-Round
After 30 years in public school education, Carol Round retired and moved from Grand Lake to Claremore, Oklahoma in 2005, where she writes a weekly faith-based column which runs in 14 Oklahoma newspapers as well as several national and international publications. Three volumes of her columns have been compiled into collections: A Matter of Faith, Faith Matters and by FAITH alone. She has also written Journaling with Jesus: How to Draw Closer to God and a companion workbook, The 40-Day Challenge. This past year she has written three children’s books, a series called Nana’s 3 Jars, to teach children about the value of giving, saving and spending money. All of Carol’s books are available through Amazon. In addition to writing her weekly column, authoring books and speaking to women’s groups, she writes for Value News. She also blogs regularly at www.carolaround.com. When she is not writing or speaking, she loves spending time with her three grandchildren, working in her flowerbeds, shooting photos, volunteering at her church or going on mission trips overseas, and hiking. She is also an avid reader and loves working crosswords and trying to solve Sudoku puzzles.
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