OMAGH District Council's St Patrick's Day Steering Committee have arrangements well in hand for Omagh's first major St Patrick's Day event to be held in the town centre on Saturday, March 17.
The celebrations include:
* A parade leaving Omagh Leisure Complex at 1.30pm, travelling through the town centre and dispersing at the Dromore Road around 2.30pm
* A major open air concert featuring More Power to Your Elbow, Dochas and other local Irish and Ulster Scots traditional acts, commences 2.30pm at High Street
* An Arts and Crafts Fair in the town centre from 1pm
* On street entertainment
* Unravelling the Myth of St Patrick - Omagh Churches Forum seminar event in Omagh Library on Thursday, March 15 at 7.30pm
The theme for the event is Celebrating Our Cultures and Omagh District Council Chairman, Cllr Sean Begley said, "I look forward to a fun-filled family event in Omagh when all our communities can come together in a celebration of diversity to make this the biggest and best St Patrick's Day event in the West."
Attending the launch event with the council chairman were a few of the artists who will be performing in the open air concert including Gerry Cunningham from More Power to your Elbow, members of St Eugene's Band, accordian player Malcolm Cathers, representation from Scór within the Omagh district and compere Pio McCann.
Groups and residents from across Tyrone will participate in the St Patrick's Day event which will be as inclusive as possible and aims to reflect not only the Nationalist and Unionist cultures but also the increasingly multi-cultural nature of our society.
Speaking earlier, the council chairman and chairman of the St Patrick's Day Steering Committee, Cllr Sean Begley welcomed the proposed event.
"Omagh, as the county town of Tyrone, is the natural venue for a Tyrone wide celebration of our patron saint. I think it is particularly fitting that, at this time of political progress, we should focus the event around a celebration of all our cultures. I look forward to a vibrant festival of music, dance and colour which will be an attractive and enjoyable family day for all the people of Tyrone and beyond."
For further information on the event pleas contact Coleen McCann at Omagh District Council Tel: 028 8224 5321.
