Dobbin Tartan Party hosted at Holyoke Merry-Go-Round
HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) – The St. Patrick's Committee of Holyoke hosted the seventh annual Dobbin Tartan Party at the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round on Saturday.
Those attending this family-friendly event got to participate in events such as face painting, hair braiding, glitter design crafts, and a photo booth. Children also had the joy of receiving unlimited rides on the merry-go-round.
Order of Hibernians hold Irish flag raising in Holyoke
For adults, beer and wine were available for purchase. White Hut also came out to support, selling the popular burgers and shakes in its food truck.
The event was created to celebrate Dobbin, the horse that once stood at the Yankee Pedlar restaurant until its closing. It was then donated to the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round and its retirement has since been celebrated by the people of Holyoke as part of the St. Patrick's Parade festivities.
'I think its a really great way for the community to show support for each other and all the events and things that lead up to the parade,' said committee member Brynn Gillis. 'But also just to be a community and have some time to spend together that is, although parade-related, not specifically the parade. It's nice to catch up with people.'
And of course, it wouldn't be a tartan party without tartan. The pattern was featured on signature items in colors significant to Holyoke for sale throughout the event.
'People love to wear this tartan,' said Sheila Moreau, Co-Chair of Sponsorship of St. Patrick's Committee of Holyoke. 'And they wear it with pride, and no matter what we come out with. This year we have new socks, and we have bows, and stickers, and whatever we come out with people want to buy it and wear it and support us. And that is so amazing, it just shows the cohesiveness of this whole community.'
All ticket and raffle proceeds will go to the St. Patrick's Committee of Holyoke and their annual parade weekend.
The 48th Holyoke St. Patrick's Road Race will be held on March 22, and the 72nd Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade will be held on March 23.
For more information about upcoming events leading up to the parade, visit holyokestpatricksparade.com.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
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