County Will Join in Wearin’ o’ the Green This Weekend

It’s the time of year when people who wouldn’t know a shamrock if a leprechaun hit them over the head with one find a reason to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

Ventura County residents are no exception.

This weekend thousands of people are expected to participate in events ranging from Ventura’s eighth annual parade and Irish festival to a hike just off Greenmeadow Drive in Thousand Oaks.

The county’s biggest draw is the parade and festival, which have attracted as many as 7,000 people, organizers said.

“This is the second year we’ve done a festival after the parade, and it’s the first time we’ve done it for two days,” said Nan Drake, festival committee member.

Activities begin at 9 a.m. Saturday in Mission Park downtown, where a traditional Irish breakfast will be served to parade-goers.

The parade of more than 80 entries will begin at 10 a.m. in front of the San Buenaventura Mission and head up Main Street before finishing at Kalorama Street. Actor and Westlake resident George Kennedy is grand marshal for the parade, which this year boasts the theme “Irish Movie Magic.”

The parade route will be closed to traffic from 9:30 a.m. until noon, as will several streets at the beginning and end of the route.

Generally, several blocks around Mission Park bounded by Ventura Avenue, Thompson Boulevard, Figueroa Street and Main Street will be closed. So will six blocks bounded by Thompson Boulevard and Main, Ash and Ann streets.

The Irish Festival follows at Mission Park with sing-alongs, Irish dancing and all the corned beef, cabbage and Guinness that visitors can consume. A highlight is the Celtic Encampment, where actors wearing period costumes will perform sword fights and guests can have their fortunes told. The festival will run until 4 p.m. Saturday and reopen Sunday.

Festival activities resume at noon on St. Patrick’s Day at Ventura’s Harbor Village. Events, which will conclude at 4 p.m., include a leprechaun treasure hunt for the wee ones and at 1:30 p.m. a leprechaun look-a-like contest.

Though the festival was postponed last year because of rain, only a heavy downpour will stop this year’s version, Drake said.

Here’s a rundown of other Irish-related goings-on by community:

Thousand Oaks--A nature hike on what is billed one of the greenest local trails will be held from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday on the Whole Access Trail on Greenmeadow Drive. The trail is accessible to those who use wheelchairs. Call 376-3036 for information.

For those who prefer running to walking, Cal Lutheran University will host a 5K run at 8:30 a.m. Sunday at Kingsman Park to benefit its athletic department. “Bandfest,” a free, nonalcoholic St. Patrick’s Day event, follows from noon to 9 p.m. with an eclectic mixture of pop and rock bands at the park pavilion. Call 493-3302 for more information on both events.

Ojai--A concert of traditional Irish music will be held at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at The Ojai Institute, 106 Besant Road. Admission is $6 for adults, $3.50 for seniors and children. Call 646-2536 for more information.

The Ojai Library will hold the “Greening of the Library” from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday. Activities include Irish music and stories, shamrock planting and a potato salad cook-off at the library, 111 E. Ojai Ave.

Fillmore--The seventh annual unofficial parade by Fillmore High School students is at 3 p.m. today.

The two-block parade route will see “countless” students walking down Central Avenue and turning left on Main Street, said equally unofficial organizer John McKinnon, of the community’s Optimist Club.

A comedy act and skits will be performed at the downtown gazebo. McKinnon hasn’t given up hope that Pat Buchanan, Steve Forbes and President Clinton will honor their invitations to attend. There’s been no word from the politicians yet, he concedes.

From 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, the Santa Clara River Valley Historical Railroad Society will “celebrate the contributions Irishmen made in building today’s railroads.” Four train excursions will depart Fillmore’s Central Park.

Staff writer Tracy Wilson contributed to this report.