Free Parking at Ironstone Saturday!

What's Happening In Murphys, CA Irish Day is Happening! March 17th from 10 am to 5 pm Free Admission - Rain or Shine

Murphys Irish Day, our annual celebration of all things Irish always attracts a large crowd of tourists and local residents, but it will be extra special this year because it falls on St. Patrick’s Day, Saturday March 17.  The celebration that pays tribute to the town’s Celtic heritage, always held on the third Saturday of March, rarely coincides with the date that honors the patron saint of Ireland but this is our year.   The day will begin with a pancake breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. at the Congregational Church on the corner of Church and Algiers Streets.  Enjoy breakfast at the Church or slip into one of our local restaurants or just grab a quick treat at the Aria Bakery on Main Street.  Just make sure you get here early so you can grab a good parade watching spot.   Presented by the Murphys Business Association, the Main St. festivities will start at 10 a.m. and continue until 5 p.m.  There is no admission charge and we plan to celebrate come rain, snow or even a little sunshine.   More than 100 vendors offering fine arts and crafts, home-baked delicacies, Irish Day t-shirts, souvenirs and many tasty things to eat and drink will line the street.     Among the items available for purchase will be handmade jewelry, wood and metal art objects, pottery, glasswork, sculpture, paintings, photographic prints, clothing, and antiques.   Local churches and community organizations will have baked goods, including Irish soda bread and several kinds of cookies, ready to purchase and take home.   There will be lots of food, including corned beef sandwiches, Greek gyros, pretzel dogs, pulled pork sandwiches, pizza, French fried artichokes, and hamburgers will be available when hunger sets in.  There will be items to satisfy the sweet tooth such as kettlecorn, funnel cakes, frozen cheesecake on a stick, and green cotton candy. Beverages on sale will include fresh lemonade, Irish coffee, and beer.  The Calaveras Winegrape Alliance will be selling a selection of fine local wines and the tasting rooms on Main Street will be pouring their finest.   Weather permitting, there will be pony rides and face painting to entertain the young folk.  In addition, all the shops on Main St. will be open to explore and appreciate. Live Entertainment Live entertainment with a decidedly Irish theme will be presented throughout the day on two stages and along Main Street.  Bagpipe music by the White Hackle Pipe & Drums and the Ripon Police & Fire Pipe Band will fill the air. The Tommyknocker Cloggers will set everyone’s feet a tapping and you'll even be able to see a Zumba demonstration.  Among the other performing groups will be Sequoia, Matt Cullen & Friends, the Mojo Bros, Grover Anderson and Jim Bailey’s ever popular band, Plan B.    See the full entertainment schedule here. Parade At 11 a.m., to the swirl of bagpipes, the Murphys Irish Day Parade will make its way down Main St. with St. Patrick’s himself as Grand Marshal.  Helping to create a Celtic atmosphere will be the White Hackle Pipe Band, and The Irish Cultural Society of Stanislaus County. Providing music will be the Calaveras Community Band and strolling trumpeter Dr. Jay Grimstead.     The Girl Scouts, in honor of the organization’s 100th birthday will lead the parade. Members of the Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Murphys 4-H, Murphys Preschool, the Studio 4 Dance Studio, and the Michelson Extended Day program will represent other young people of the area. There will be equestrian units including the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Posse and the Peppermint Creek Carriage. Among the other animals taking part will be the canine members of the Sierra West Bernese Mountain Dog Club. Local organizations participating will include the Native Sons of the Golden West, with their giant California flag, and Soroptimist International of Calaveras County. Other entries will include Ironstone Vineyards, the Sheriff’s Department and the Murphys Fire District.  There will also be a leprechaun, or two, or three.   Announcers Dave Bowman and Jim Bailey will be stationed along the parade route to describe each entry as it passes.   Win a Trip to Ireland The luck of the Irish will take on special meaning for one happy couple when they are transported from a gold rush town with Irish heritage to the fabled land of shamrocks and leprechauns as grand prize winners of the Win a Trip to Ireland.   The prize includes round trip airfare to Dublin or Shannon, a rental car, hotel stay on arrival, and five nights in a variety of bed and breakfast locations sprinkled throughout the country.  As is usually the case, some restrictions apply.   Specially created local vacation prize packages will be awarded to three runners-up.   The first includes two nights lodging at Murphys Garden Cottages, breakfast at the Murphys Hotel, dinner at The Kitchen, wine and food pairing from Val Du Vino, golf for two at Sequoia Woods Country Club in Arnold, an outdoor activity provided by Sierra Nevada Adventure Company, and embroidered tote and tees from Bandera. Another package includes two nights in a vacation home from Murphys Vacation Rentals, lunch at Mineral, dinner at Grounds Restaurant, golf for two at Sequoia Woods Country Club, fifty percent off a Courtwood Wine Tour, a $100 gift certificate from Creative Cookware, and embroidered tote and tees from Bandera. The third prize package encompasses two nights lodging at Milfiore Historic Country Retreat, golf for two at Sequoia Woods Country Club, dinner at the Murphys Hotel, wine and food pairing from Frog’s Tooth Winery, lunch at Magnolia, massages and facials from Jillian’s Day Spa, and embroidered tote and tees from Bandera. Raffle tickets are five dollars each or five for $20.  They are available at several locations in Murphys including The Spice Tin, Yogurt Your Way, Tanner Vineyards, La Folia Winery, Marisolio Olive Oil, Jillian’s Day Spa, NEXT - Upscale Resale, Murphys Hotel, Sierra Nevada Adventure Company, and Tea An‘Tiques.  They also will be available only at the MBA booth in front of the Native Sons Hall on Irish Day.   The winning tickets will be drawn at 4:00 p.m. on the Native Daugters stage.  You need not be present to win.   Free Parking & Shuttle Service Free parking will be available at Ironstone Vineyards on Six Mile Road.   A free shuttle bus, provided by Ironstone and the Murphys Business Association, will run between Ironstone and the Arbors parking lot at Jones and Scott Streets.  Shuttles will leave approximately every 20 minutes from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.   Weather permitting, paid parking will be available close to the event off of Big Trees Rd. and Main St. and free parking will be available at the Black Bart Playhouse parking lot on Algiers St. around 12:30 p.m. after the parade has finished and cleared. Handicap Parking will be located in the Arbors parking lot at Jones and Scott Streets.   There will be no parking from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Main, Church, Algiers, Sheep Ranch, Scott, and Jones Sts. and Six Mile Road.  When traveling to the event motorists should use Highway 4, and not Murphys Grade Road.   Main Street will be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the day of the event.  Traffic will be detoured along Church St. and through the Bret Harte Center from the intersection of Main St. and Murphys Grade Rd. to Highway 4.

Other Happenings This Weekend

March 16, 2012 - Women in Music at Metate Hill Lounge - Diane Patterson, Chelsea Wilds, Somer Moon & Billie Shields.  Music starts at 8 pm.  $5 cover charge. Visit www.metatehilllounge.com for more information.   March 17, 2012 - Library Book Sale - The Murphys Volunteer Library will hold a “St. Patrick’s Day” book sale on Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Murphys Volunteer Library in Murphys Park.  Ten ($10) bucks buys you a “bag o’ books” of your choice.  We have hardbacks, paperbacks, fiction, non-fiction, mysteries, westerns, science fiction, children’s books, audio cassettes, and even videos.  On that Saturday, we will also give a free book to anyone bringing in Sierra Hill's grocery receipts.  We also appreciate cash donations.  Come early to get the great choices!!   March 17, 2012 - Live Music at Cactus Jack's - 8 Days Sober featuring Jeff Pease and Travis Whittington (daytime) - No cover charge. March 17, 2012 - Live Music at Cactus Jack's - Plan B featuring Jim Bailey, Keno Rojas and Vince Rojas (evening) - No cover charge.   March 17 & 18, 2012 - Mother Lode Daffodil Show at Ironstone Vineyards - Open 11 AM-5PM, Sunday, 10AM-3PM.  Free. Juried show competitions in daffodil horticulture, artistic designs, and photography.  Showroom presents hundreds of different daffodils in bright colors and intriguing forms.  Show entry open to all or simply come to admire the daffodils in the show and n the landscape  Call 925-625-5526 or email for more information robert_spotts@comcast.net   March 17, 2012 - Irish Day Concert and CD Release Party at the Black Bart Playhouse - Three bands including Descendents of the Prospectors, Dyemusica and TRPI with original music, beer wine and treats for sale from 7 pm to 11 pm.  $5 at the door.   March 17, 2012 - The Artwork of Alex Atman at Metate Hill - Meet the artist and learn how he does it-artwork on display during the Irish Day celebration - free admission.  Visit www.metatehilllounge.com for more information.   March 18, 2012 - Native Sons of the Golden West Pancake Breakfast - After the fun and excitement of Murphys Irish Day on Saturday relax on Sunday and enjoy the pancake breakfast prepared by the chefs of the Native Sons Of The Golden West. Bring your family and friends to this great breakfast of pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy, orange juice and coffee. The cost is six dollars for adults and three dollars for kids ten and under and is served from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the Native Sons Hall, 389 Main St. in historic downtown Murphys.