New details for Shamrock the Block, Shockoe bars form new Shamrock event
Are you a Shamrock the BLOCK kind of person? Or a Shamrock the BOTTOM kind of person?
Update #1 — February 20, 2014; 7:13 AM
Richmond.com is reporting that this year’s Shamrock the Block festival, which for the first time in 10 years will not be held in Shockoe Bottom (see below), will be held on the Boulevard between W. Leigh Street near Movieland to Myers Street near En Su Boca.
Organizers of the festival are hoping to offer parking at The Diamond and free trolleys to the festival, scheduled for Saturday, March 15th.
The Boulevard will serve as host to its second major festival in recent months. Last October’s Pumpkin Festival brought upwards of 13,000 people. Previous Shamrock the Blocks have brought at least double that amount.
But Shockoe bars aren’t folding up their four-leafed clovers just yet. Several have banded together to form a new shamrock event called Shamrock the Bottom also on March 15th.
From Shamrock the Bottom’s Facebook:
We have created this event due to the blatant disregard for the roots and backbone of “Shamrock the Block!” We as restauranteurs will team up as a “band of bars” on Saturday March 15th to create an amazing and safe experience for all patrons in the form of the largest barcrawl to ever grace the streets of Richmond!
More details about the Shamrock the Bottom are expected soon.
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Original — February 17, 2014
Last year was a rough year for Shamrock the Block. There was a tussle between Richmond’s finest and Richmond’s drunkest and severe overcrowding. To address the crowding issue, organizers Three One One Productions have decided to move out of Shockoe Bottom and onto the Boulevard.
From the official Shamrock the Block Website:
Shamrock The Block has a new home! The 11th Annual Shamrock The Block will take place on the Boulevard off Broad Street on Saturday, March 15th beginning at 11am. We’re moving to a larger area with more space, better parking and more BLOCK TO ROCK!!
Shamrock The Block is FREE to attend, with great food, live music all day and plenty o’ green beverages for you to enjoy safely, so bring a designated driver. Last year, more than 30,000 people poured into the FIRST OUTDOOR EVENT of the season. With the move to the Boulevard, we’ve expanded the kid’s activities, the band lineup and have more things to do and see. We have the drinks, the music and the fun.
All you have to do….is SHOW UP ON THE BOULEVARD!
And in a statement about the new location, director of production for Three One One Productions, Micki Long, said:
After careful and thoughtful planning sessions, it was determined that the festival has gotten too large for the area surrounding the 17th Street Farmers Market. Out of respect for the businesses, our neighbors in Shockoe Bottom and the safety of those attending, the decision was made to move to a larger, more accessible area of North Boulevard.
The event organizer’s decided on the new location after conferring with Richmond Police, Scott’s Addition Business Association, and others.
Shamrock the Block will be held on Saturday, March 15th beginning at 11:00 AM.
Photo by: Erin Soorenko
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