Visitors and residents of Dublin alike, dressed in green, gathered along Dublin Boulevard, Village Parkway and Amador Valley Boulevard over the weekend for the return of the 38th annual St. Patrick's Day parade and festival.
The Dublin Lion's Club hosted the event, which began with a parade at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of Dublin Boulevard and Amador Plaza Road and proceeded to the Dublin Senior Center.
The more than 80 parade participants included Irish bagpipers, students, a marching band and horse and bike riders, many of whom handed out candy, Easter eggs and green beaded shamrock necklaces to attendees.
The annual St. Patrick's Day festivities, which had to be cancelled during the pandemic, took place at the Civic Plaza from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and continues until 5 p.m. Sunday.
Festival visitors receive a warm welcome from the humming of Jeff Camppell's bagpipes. Campbell, a professional bagpiper of 50 years, has been playing for Dublin's St. Patrick's Day event for 10 years.
"My favorite part about playing here at the event is getting the reaction from people, especially when I get a little kid dancing," Campbell said. "Anytime I get a little kid dancing, I feel like I'm doing my job."
The festival includes three sound stages for live musical acts including Tempest and Irish Leprechaun and offers an expanded Irish food menu with corned beef sliders and honey hen, along with international food choices. There are 250 booths to shop from at the Irish Marketplace, a toy train ride and carnival rides.
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Tony Wolt and his wife Lisa Wolt (dressed as a leprechaun), of Vallejo, were enjoying the Tempest performance.
"It is our first time attending the festival, and we love it," Tony Wolt said.
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