Thousands flock to annual Ennismore Shamrock Festival
As many as 3,000 people attend
The barbecue at the 46th annual Ennismore Shamrock Festival’s family fun day Saturday went through more than 500 burgers in the first three hours. As the supply dwindled, a festival volunteer was dispatched to get more.
“It’s all good,” said festival chairwoman Londa Junkin after averting the burger crisis.
The signature Ennismore event, which began Friday night with a dance and ended Sunday with a truck and tractor pull, was expected to attract between 2,500 and 3,000 people, Junkin said.
Saturday’s family day at the Robert E. Young Recreation Complex on Ennis Rd. featured the barbecue, a trunk sale, ball hockey and softball tournaments, airbounce activities for children and fireworks at night, all free.
About 20 community groups and vendors also had displays.
Junkin estimated Saturday’s attractions would draw more than 1,000 people.
Of course, the weather was beautiful. The festival has never been rained out, said Junkin, who has been involved in the event for 13 years, about the last half dozen as chairwoman.
“Mother Nature has been a great supporter of the festival,” she said.
“I think the Holy Land (Ennismore’s nickname) has a lot of friends up there hoping and praying,” Junkin said of the weather streak. “And when that doesn’t work, the rosaries are on the clothesline.”
All the revenue generated by the festival goes to pay for the annual event, Junkin said.
“Everything stays within the festival,” she said. “We operate on a small budget and reserve and rely heavily on our community partners and community donations.”
Each festival costs about $20,000 to $25,000 to produce, she said.
Junkin, 39, early-childhood educator, says she enjoys her work with the festival, which just happens the third weekend in July every year, close to her birthday.
“I love it,” she said. “As a sidebar, it kind of coincides with my birthday (Tuesday). My family doesn’t throw me a party, so welcome to my party. It’s kind of a running joke with the commit- tee.”
The festival, Junkin said, is good for the community.
“You see a lot of familiar faces,” she said. “It’s a fun weekend when you can come and you don’t have to think about all the other stuff going on in the world. Just come out and have fun and enjoy yourself in the Holy Land.
“I just really want to thank everyone for coming and being a
part of it, and enjoying a great day.”