photo by Barnette Photography
Travelers don’t have to journey to Ireland this season to enjoy an authentic Irish experience, available at Shamrock City on Lookout Mountain. Rock City hosts its ninth annual Irish festival Shamrock City, March 12-13 and 19-20 from 8:30 am to 5 pm daily. Irish food, drinks, bands, jig lessons, activities for kids and much more are sure to bring guests lots of luck.
New at this year’s celebration is the Suffolk Sheep Encounter by Bagby’s Critter Corral. Visit with live sheep daily from 10 am to 3 pm next to the Pot of Gold Pavilion. Also new this season is the Kid’s Adventure Passport where children receive their own activity passport (note to parents: there are coupons inside) and the chance to have it stamped at each of Rock City’s special events throughout the year.
See Rock City’s gushing green waterfall, along with festive drinks from Starbucks like Irish frappuccinos and macchiatos, green kettle corn and green fudge (even watch fudge-making demos in the Fudge Kitchen). Try some mulligan stew, corned beef and cabbage at the pavilion or get some fish and chips in the Big Rock Grill.
Hear live Celtic music with returning favorites: The Molly Maguires, Carolina Ceili, Jennifer Daniels, The Chattanooga Pipe Band, Olta and Harpist Ellen Shiraef, and new this year are the Wolfhounds! Plus, learn the Irish Jig or just sit back and be entertained by traditional Irish/Celtic dance performances! Fun activities for kids include a Shamrock Quest, panning for gold and Lucky Makeovers.
Shamrock City has been named a Top 20 Event by Southeast Tourism Society in 2015. Go to www.seerockcity.com/shamrockcity for more info on the entertainment lineup.
Rock City is once again partnering with the Chattanooga district of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). Guests can purchase green shamrocks for $1 and gold shamrocks for $5 from March 1-31 to help supply needed funds to local families with MD.
Also available at Rock City’s ticket desk is Chattanooga’s spring break safari guide, with the RockQuest Adventure and scavenger hunt available March 12 – April 10. For more, go here: www.chattanoogafun.com/spring.