Irish Days Paints Murphys Green

Green was the official color of Spring and the Murphys Irish Days celebration over the weekend.

The annual Calaveras County event drawn thousands of visitors to the Gold Rush town for the parade, music, food, drink, entertainment and merriment all along Main Street where everyone is Irish at least one weekend a year.

A pancake breakfast kicked things off in the morning. Then the parade stepped off down Main Street led by Grand Marshal Mickey Harper from the Vallecito Union School District music program.

More than 50 entries this year marched, rolled and clip-clopped down the spectator-lined street. Afterwards, the crowd dispersed among the 125 vendor booths selling arts and crafts, food and drink.

Organizers expected about 10,000 people to turn out for the weekend event.

At Murphys Community Park, a mini-Renaissance encampment was set-up where royal knights and soldiers prepared for battle, the village blacksmith pounded out his metalwares and the royal court entertained. With temperatures hovering in the low 80s Saturday, the creek at the park was a popular place to cool weary feet.