Crown Point planning for St. Patrick’s Day

• Reprints

The Lake County Pipes and Drums play during last year's St. Patrick's Day Parade in Crown Point. | File photo

Updated: March 1, 2012 8:22AM

CROWN POINT — Officials are ironing out the final details for the first Saturday St. Patrick’s Day celebration since the city began its annual night-time holiday parade.

Last week the Board of Works and Public Safety approved the prices for the corned beef and cabbage dinner and for vendor spaces on the downtown square. Officials have not yet decided when the festivities will begin that day.

“Since St. Patrick’s Day is a Saturday, there is still some planning,” Mayor David Uran said.

Officials say they do not know what to expect as far as crowds or attendance because the event is on the weekend. The parade and festival have been growing consistently each year.

In past years, the festival has started a few hours before the parade.

Jennie Burgess, director of parks and recreation, said the committee has yet to decide when it will allow the booths on the square to open. Previous St. Patrick’s Day celebrations have taken place during the week and the square was not closed until later in the day so local businesses were not too negatively affected.

Because the event is on a Saturday this year and business hours tend to be different than in the week, it may be possible to close the square earlier.

Vendor spaces if the square is closed early will cost $50 or $75 if electricity is needed. If the square is closed later, cost for spaces will be $25 and $45 with electricity.

The annual corned beef and cabbage dinner will cost $10 for adults, $9 for senior citizens and $4 for children. At least 1,000 corned beef and cabbage dinners will be served that day.

“We will begin to advertise. A lot of this is pre-sales,” Burgess said, adding a limited number of dinners will be available for walk-ins.

Crown Point residents 17 and younger also have the chance to design the St. Patrick’s Day logo for the 2013 event. The youth presenting the winning design will earn a spot as junior grand marshal in the 2012 parade.

The winning logo will be used to promote the 2013 event. Deadline to enter is Feb. 24.