30th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade Coming

The 30th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and celebration will be coming to the Ozarks on Saturday March 13, 2010, in Springfield Missouri. It is time to be a about the wearin’ o’ da green! The Grand Marshall for 2010 has not been announced yet. Last year’s Grand Marshall, the impectable Lee Worman, will be hard to beat anyway. We has been the voice of Irish music in the Ozarks for as long as we can remember.

This is Irish in the Ozarks at its best. It is a well attended parade, and people love to mingle during this event. You will also find a great smattering of Ulster-Irish folks here. It’s fun to get a chance to talk about heritage with the people who come to the parade each year. The Ozarks is full of Irish pride.

Here, though, is a copy of the event schedule to date:

11:00 Food booths & vendors open on Square

2:00 Parade begins with Grand Marshal

Let’s also take a look at tentative parade route. This is not finalized yet, as there is still some considerable construction going on in downtown Springfield, Missouri. Be that as it may, the route will start on Commercial Street, and head south on Boonville Avenue, ending in the downtown Square. I have provided you a map to the event.

The IRISH IDOL contest will be held on the Square beginning at 11:30 a.m. the day of the Parade. Contestants are encouraged to perform songs with an Irish theme or origin. Contestants must provide their own backup music. A PA system and CD player will be provided. Contestants will be judged on stage presence, originality, musical talent, and how much fun they are having. The contest is for AMATUERS ONLY. There is no entry fee. A $100 prize will be awarded the winner.

Register online below OR CLICK HERE for a registration form in pdf format to print out, fill out and mail to:

304 W. McDaniel, Springfield, MO 65806

FAX 417-831-6217

it is a great event, and worthy of all truly Celtic people to attend. I hope to see you there, as we will be shooting some footage for the website from St. Patrick’s Day.

Lá Fhéile Pádraig

Ray Province

Tags: MO, Ozarks, Springfield, St. Patrick's Day
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A Springtime Trip to the Buffalo National River

On the extreme south end of the Ozarks lies a quiet, peaceful little river called the Buffalo.  It is south from Branson MO about a hour, on Hwy 65. From there you have multiple options to reach the river, outside of Harrison, Arkansas.  It is one of our national treasures.

I especially like to go to the Visitor’s Center in Tyler Bend, off Hwy 65. That is where you can get your National Passport stamped, as well as found out lots of interesting information on the river. 

The Buffalo Nationa River is 135 miles long, and is one of the only rivers we have left in the MO/AR area that is not changed by the addition of a dam.  The river runs quietly along some of the highest bluffs in the state of Arkansas.  Upon close inspection, you can see people canoeing and fly fishing, in the proper season.

Plan on taking a picnic lunch to this location. There are such beautiful spots to stop and listen to nature quietly role by. The sound of the river is inviting.  Somewhere inside, it calls us back to the water.  It is a spiritual place.

Even the native indians of long ago dwelt in the land.  They made their homes and camps along the river, and revitalized their lives from the food and water offered by the Buffalo River.  Take a look at the Indian Boxhouse while you are there. You can almost see the river’s original inhabitants still there.

Early pioneers also made their homesteads along the river. Their early communities included places like Erby and Boxley.  There is still, in fact, the town of Rush, which you can visit, that was an early example of a mining town in the Ozarks.

Camping and hiking abound in this national park, that is stretched all across the length of the river, in various places.  Fishing permits are also inexpensive in Arkansas, for a day or two of fishing. Find a campsite in one of the national river’s 13 campgrounds. You cannot go wrong.

The climate for Buffalo National River is typical of the Ozark region and the Mid-South. Winters can be cold with average daily temperatures between 24 and 49 degrees F. Summers can be hot with high humidity; all the better to play in the river. Temperatures range from the mid-80s to high 90s with humidity on some days in the 90% range. Spring is sometimes unsettled, with thunderstorms. Fall can present itself with a burst of color on the trees and comfortable temperatures in the 70s – 80s.

A Springtime trip to the Buffalo National River may be just the thing for your winter duldrum.  To find out more information about the Buffalo National River, and all it has to offer, check out their website. I have also included a couple of snap shots here f rom my recent stop at the Buffalo River at Tyler Bend.

Happy travels, we’ll talk again soon,

Raymond C. Province,

The Celtic Ozarkian

Tags: AR, Buffalo National River, kid friendly travel Ozarks, MO, Travel
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