Square Roots for the Crown Point St. Patrick's Day window decorating contest
Prime Steakhouse for the Crown Point St. Patrick's Day window decorating contest
Square Roots for the Crown Point St. Patrick's Day window decorating contest
Square Roots for the Crown Point St. Patrick's Day window decorating contest
Ricochet Tacos for the Crown Point St. Patrick's Day window decorating contest
101 N. Main Street for the Crown Point St. Patrick's Day window decorating contest
Ricochet Tacos for the Crown Point St. Patrick's Day window decorating contest
Culinary Misfits for the Crown Point St. Patrick's Day window decorating contest
Culinary Misfits for the Crown Point St. Patrick's Day window decorating contest
CROWN POINT — Some downtown merchants have gone green — not for the environment, but for a fifth-century missionary who became the principal Catholic patron saint of Ireland.
Eleven businesses are participating in the city’s annual St. Patrick’s Day decorating contest.
Even non-participants are paying tribute to the Emerald Isle. The interior of City Hall is decked out in greetings from leprechauns. Downtown pubs have green lighting. Even the gnome in the hallway of the Courthouse Shops is sporting an oversized green hat.
In the midst of tax season the certified public accounting firm of Bapple & Bapple decorated its office with leprechauns and shamrocks.
Sheila Reynolds, who put up the display, noted, “We’ve been doing this since the early 2000s. We love to participate in community events. And we love being in the (Courthouse) Square.”
Reynolds, who is Irish, sees St. Patrick’s Day as “a great day to celebrate your Irish heritage.”
Some stores added Notre Dame Fighting Irish souvenirs to window displays. One shop window featured a green Jiminy Cricket.
Even Hispanics can be a little Irish on St. Patrick’s Day. The window of Ricochet Tacos features a rainbow and pot of gold, along with a green-masked “luchador,” or wrestler.
Emily Holcomb, general manager of the restaurant-bar, commented, “We just want to be part of the St. Patrick’s Day festivities."
Keeping in the Hispanic-Irish spirit is Hub Vintage Boutique & Market, where owner Jen Ruiz-Vasquez topped a Day of the Dead skull with a green cap. With windows painted with shamrocks, the interior of the craft and collectibles shop has more St. Patrick’s souvenirs.
Joe Bruno, technology manager for Hub Vintage, noted that communities choose a holiday to celebrate. “Crown Point has the county fair, but this is their big festival,” Bruno said.
Blue Ribbon Vintage, another antiques and collectibles shop, uses plenty of green, including clothing, wagons, and signs from Heineken and Beck’s Beer.
Ron Ferrara, an employee, said the owner’s daughter “loves to decorate the place and see if they can win.”
More leprechaun and green signage can be found at S & T Too, which sells pizza fixings. The business started in Chicago in the 1960s and is expanding.
Manager Dawn Wilson explained, “This is for Crown Point, and we want to participate.”
For Wilson, who is Irish, St. Patrick’s Day means “corned beef and cabbage, green beer, fun parade, and togetherness.”
The eventual decorating contest winner will be announced at Friday’s parade. The reigning two-time champion is Square Roots, whose resident “artist” is sharing her skills with fellow pub Culinary Misfits.
Maya Tobin, the businesses’ human resources and technology person, painted a large leprechaun and rainbow at Square Roots, adding more graphics at Culinary Misfits.
Tobin, who took one basic drawing class in college, noted, “I love art and I love this holiday. Everyone gets together and has a good time.”
Past award-winning Tobin efforts featured rainbows, gnomes, and even the owner’s dog Sadie.
Kyle Sobkowicz, general manager at Culinary Misfits, said the business participated in Sunday’s “pub crawl,” with patrons going from bar to bar to win prizes.
Mary Freda-Flores, communications-media manger for the city, said Friday’s parade kicks off at dusk, around 7 p.m., with line-up at Solon Robinson School.
Freda-Flores reported several parade changes:
• The corned beef and cabbage dinner at the fire station has been replaced with “Shamrock Lane,” with food vendors along Joliet Street between Main and Court streets. Additional food sites will be listed on the city’s website, crownpoint.in.us.
• Vendors will also be open from 3 to 9 p.m. on the east side of the Historic Lake County Courthouse.
• Performing outside the courthouse will be Lake County Pipes & Drums and Irish dancers from Indiana Ballet Theater.
• This year the public may vote online at the city’s website for their top parade entries. Winners will be announced at the City Council meeting April 3.
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