FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:
Tim Ryan, President
(501) 868-6416
tim (at) itisharkansas (dot) org
Or
Peggy Loyd, Director of Public Relations
IrishPegOfAR (at) comcast (dot) net
(501) 920-8534
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2011 ROCK TO NORTH LITTLE ROCK
ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE
LITTLE ROCK, AR (November 19, 2010) The Irish Cultural Society of Arkansas (ICSA) will present the 12th Annual Rock to North Little Rock St. Patrick’s Day Parade at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 12, 2011. The Parade will begin in downtown Little Rock and cross the Arkansas River into North Little Rock.
“The Irish Cultural Society is very excited to once again involve the two cities of Little Rock and North Little Rock, as well as the River Market and Argenta Historic Districts, in the parade,” said Tim Ryan, president of the Irish Cultural Society and chairman of the parade.
Each year the Parade features marching bands, Irish music and dancing, Irish wolfhounds, clowns, floats and antique cars. Following the Parade from 2:00 to 4 p.m. a program called “Dancing at the Crossroads” is held on the Grand Stand stage. The post-Parade program features Irish music and dance performances.
Last year, the headline groups in the parade included:
- Sylvan Hills High School Marching Band
- Shamrock Strings – a group of young student fiddle players
- The Arkansas Celtic Music Society – a group of local musicians playing traditional Irish tunes
- Peg Roach Loyd – an award-winning singer/songwriter who performs traditional and original Irish and Irish-American songs
- The McCafferty School of Irish Dance
- The O’Donovan School of Irish Dance
- A Scottish marching bagpipe band
Applications for floats, marching bands, and other types of parade participants are now being accepted and may be completed online at: IrishArkansas.org or obtained by emailing info@irisharkansas.org or calling 501-868-6416. Organizations such as area businesses, schools, churches and not-for-profit groups are encouraged to participate in and support this free, multi-cultural community event. The deadline for parade applications is Friday, March 4, 2011.
“We encourage corporate, business and community leaders to enter a float in the parade or make a donation to offset the expense of the Parade,” said Ryan. “We have a contest each year for best decorated float; best decorated car, truck or motorcycle; most entertaining group; best dressed walker; and even most festive leprechaun.” Even St. Patrick himself makes a special appearance in the Parade!
The 2011 Rock to North Little Rock St. Patrick’s Day Parade is organized and presented by the Irish Cultural Society of Arkansas (ICSA). ICSA, which has applied for 501( c ) 3 not-for-profit status, was originally founded in 1996 by a group of Irish nationals, many of whom had immigrated to Arkansas during the nursing shortage of the 1980’s. Recruited by area hospitals, nurses from Ireland came to Arkansas originally intending to work a few years and return to their homeland. Instead they married and settled in Little Rock and began raising families. As their children grew, they realized the importance of passing on their Irish culture and heritage to their American-born children. Together with their Irish-American friends, they formed the Irish Cultural Society of Arkansas with the following goals:
• To develop and further enhance local interest in the culture of Ireland and its people.
• To publicize the presence of an active Irish community in the Little Rock area.
• To reacquaint Arkansans of Irish descent with their culture and ethnic history.
• To familiarize the general public with the culture of the Irish people and the richness of their contribution to America
ICSA has about 100 members who share a love for and interest in Ireland. The group provides programs demonstrating aspects of Irish culture (through traditional Irish music, dance, cultural displays at local libraries, etc.) for the education of Arkansans. They also volunteer for other not-for-profit charities such as the public education TV channel, AETN, and the Salvation Army.
For more information about the 2011 Rock to North Little Rock St. Patrick’s Day Parade or the Irish Cultural Society of Arkansas, visit the website at IrishArkansas.org or contact Tim Ryan at 501-868-6416 or via e-mail at: tim (at) irisharkansas (dot) org
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