SHAMROCK RUN JUST FOR FUN
Celtic music and dance, Zero K to be available on St. Patrick’s Day
This year’s St. Patrick’s Day festival features an “All Fun, No Run, Zero K” (0.0 miles) to benefit the Balloon Museum Foundation.
This year’s New Mexico ShamRock Fest on St. Patrick’s Day this Saturday features an “All Fun, No Run, Zero K” (0.0 miles) for those who prefer to stay put rather than run, with all registration fees going to the Balloon Museum Foundation educational and public programs.
Organizers — with tongue planted slightly in cheek — said the Zero K race is “for those individuals who wish to have fun without the run ... no training required and everyone ... is on an even playing field.
“As soon as the race starts it is over,” they said. “Regardless of your heritage or skill level, this race will have you feeling the luck of the Irish. The only requirements: sneakers and lots of green garb.”
The 4th annual fest — from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. — will feature Celtic music and dance, food, poetry readings, arts and crafts projects, costume contest and more. Engaging activities for the little ones include arts and crafts projects, face painting, bounce houses, circus performers, bike rodeo and more, organizers said in a news release.
There will be, for some reason, a 20-minute warm-up period ahead of the Zero K.
For those not content to stand or sit still, there also will be a ShamRock N Roll 5K run and fitness walk and a 1K kids fun run. Participants are encouraged to dress creatively.
The entertainment lineup includes High Desert Pipes and Drums, McTeggart Irish Dancers of NM, The Anslover Family Band, Fishback Studio of Dance, Los Metamorfos with special guest Rory Kirwan, Celtic Steps, Highland Dance of Albuquerque, Coleman Academy of Irish Dance, Moonshine Blind, and the Metamorfos Collective Circus Roving Art Show.
There will be poetry readings from works by Irish, Scottish and Welsh poets and bards.
Admission is $6 per person in advance or $10 at the gate for age 13 and older. Those 12 and under are free.
Zero K registration — which includes admission, T-shirt and race packet goodies — is $15 in advance or $20 at the gate.
Applications and detailed information can be found at www.goo.gl/TJ8RSH.