Third annual Holyoke Tartan Party

Did you know Holyoke has its own Irish tartan, created just for the city? It was designed in 2002 for the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Committee. Colors include red, white and blue representing the U.S. flag; green, white and gold representing the Irish flag and the parade committee; green and white representing Holyoke Community College; purple and white for Holyoke High School; green and gold for Holyoke Catholic High School; and black and gold for Dean Vocational High School.

Items made with its design are available for purchase at the 3rd Annual Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade Tartan Party, being held Saturday, March 7 from 2 to 5 at the Holyoke Merry Go Round, Holyoke Heritage State Park, 221 Appleton St., Holyoke.

The first tartan party was held to celebrate Dobbin, the landmark Yankee Pedlar Horse who stood outside of the Pedlar on Northampton Street, Holyoke, for many years, in his move to the merry go round. It’s the perfect place to wear your parade tartan, green, and shamrock garb, and help bring the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade/Road Race spirit to Dobbin as he begins his third year of retirement.

Children will enjoy unlimited rides on the Merry Go Round, face painting, snacks, crafts and a digital photo booth, while adults can purchase beer or wine, ride with their children, and browse merchandise for sale. Food available for purchase from Murphy’s Pub, Agawam, food truck. Cash or check only for admission; credit cards may be used for merchandise. Tickets at the door are $5 per person, $10 per family.

Viewing and verse

An unusual exhibit, “Look Again,” is open from March 3 through 29 at Sanford Gallery @Zea Mays Printmaking, 320 Riverside Drive, Florence.

Combining visual and literary arts, the exhibit presents woodcuts and collage portraits by Julie Lapping Rivera, inspired by the New York Times “Overlooked” series, which tells the stories of remarkable women and minorities who have previously been overlooked in New York Times obituaries, combined with a poem written to further illuminate each subject’s life and legacy. The portrait poems are written by female poets, and created in response to both the women’s stories and the portraits in the exhibit.

The public is invited to a closing reception and poetry reading on Saturday, March 28, from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

For more information, please contact Julie Rivera at julielappingriver@gmail,com.

— Brenda Nelson