The Irish Celtic Festival drew hundreds of guests from Lakewood Ranch and surrounding communities.
By
Pam Eubanks
| 4:48 p.m. March 12, 2016
East County
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The luck of the Irish returned to Lakewood Ranch March 12, as Lakewood Ranch Community Activities Corp. hosted its annual Irish Celtic Festival.
The grounds at Greenbrook Adventure Park transformed into a sea of green T-shirted guests, who enjoyed Irish-themed food and drink, a dog parade, Celtic dance demonstrations, music and other festivities.
“We try to be authentic,” says Lakewood Ranch resident Frank Shea, who helps organize the event.
Sarasota's Kathleen Trost entered the dog parade with her dog, Chloe.
East County resident Tobin Heyman, 6, tackles an inflatable obstacle course.
Anthony Mckee, 3, make sure to get a pony ride.
Trenton Longpre, of Ellenton, spends the day with his grandparents.
Afton Kurek, 8, holds a potato face she made for her grandma.
Lakewood Ranch's Erin Griffith, who turns 8 on March 18, adds a shamrock to her potato face.
Emily Flesche, of Lakewood Ranch, wanted a balloon tiger.
Shelly and Bradley Pollard attend with their relative Melissa Ann Callahan, of Sarasota.
Braden River Elementary students Emma Dawson an Isabella Bennett have fun together. Emma brought her puppy, Chase.
Bagpipers led the "lucky dog parade."
Emilee Gately, 12, helps her uncle, event organizer Frank Shea, throughout the day.
Rosanna Boutilier, Julie and Keith Fairservice and Mike Boutilier, of Bradenton, enjoy drinks together.
Stanley and Claire Smith travel from Venice for the event.
Lakewood Ranch residents Layla Finch, Landon Finch and Ella Tuthill love being outside.
Ava Filewich, a student at McNeal Elementary, selects stones and shells to decorate a sand-cast shamrock.
Maya Petricca has Akiko Campbell paint a rainbow and a pot of gold on her cheek.
Stephanie Lovetere performs with the Irish Dance Academy of Sarasota.
Greenbrook residents Abigail Cobb and Bella Mackey snack on snow cones as they watch Irish dancers perform from a spot in front of the stage.
Dexter Carter, Alison Selzler, Matt Greiner, Megan Hallmark, Mike Lennox and Chrissy Lennox dress for the relay race.
Sarasota High School's Kacey Wagner, 14, watches Irish dancers perform.
