Henderson to host St. Patrick’s celebration

Henderson is bringing back the luck of the Irish.

The four-day 48th annual Sons and Daughters of Erin St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival is scheduled to return March 13-16 at the Henderson Events Plaza, 200 S. Water St.

The event is slated to include entertainment, a parade, a carnival, food and craft vendors and Irish-themed shenanigans.

Admission is free. The carnival is slated to begin at 5 p.m. March 13 and continue from 5 to 10 p.m. March 14, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. March 15 and noon to 7 p.m. March 16.

“Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day,” said Dona Brown, the entertainment coordinator with the Southern Nevada Sons and Daughters of Erin. “We just show them how to do it.”

Brown said the change she is most excited about this year is the event’s name.

“It’s not just the Sons of Erin anymore but the Sons and Daughters of Erin,” she said. “This is a landmark occasion for the women. I guess the men decided we do all the work so they should include us in the name.”

One of the other new additions to this year’s event, Brown said, is expected to be a kilt-wearing contest.

“We will be looking for the craziest kilt,” she said. “We don’t care if it’s polka dots or whatever you want.”

The contest is also set to have a traditional category and a leprechaun lookalike section.

For the first time, Celtic punk rock band Bogtrotter’s Union is scheduled to play four times throughout the festival.

The band started in 2010 playing at other Irish-inspired venues such as McMullan’s Irish Pub.

“We’ve also had a few casino gigs,” said Marshall Lytle, the band’s lead vocalist.

The six-member band plays a variety of covers and original pieces.

“We have similarities to Flogging Molly,” he said. “We also have elements of ska, swing, reggae and Americana.”

The band had tried to perform at the festival in the past.

This year, the city approached it to play.

“We are thrilled,” Lytle said. “We hope people enjoy us.”

He said people can expect a loud and energetic time.

“We get very rowdy,” he said. “We try to get the audience involved.”

Other fan favorites are slated to return include a whiskey-drinking contest, a tutorial on the Irish jig and the crazy knees contest, where women are blindfolded and feel the legs of men.

“They vote on who has the sexiest or smoothest legs,” Brown said. “It’s fun for the ladies. I guess the men enjoy it as well.”

The parade is scheduled to travel on Water Street from Ocean Avenue to Victory Road starting at 10 a.m. March 15. This year’s theme is “Shamrocks and Shenanigans.”

“We cut the parade entries off at 115,” Brown said. “We don’t want it to go past noon because of entertainment.”

One tradition that remains is the fundraising for St. Baldrick’s Foundation, Brown said. The organization raises money for childhood cancer.

Brown said it can be hard finding participants for the traditional fundraising shaving.

“We can’t convince men to shave their legs,” she said jokingly. “Plus, it’s after the other fundraiser at McMullan’s.”

There isn’t a set goal for how much to raise, Brown said.

“We’re Irish,” she said. “We are happy with whatever we get.”

For more information, visit hendersonlive.com.

Contact Henderson/Anthem View reporter Michael Lyle at mlyle@viewnews.com or 702-387-5201.