The Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla is preparing to celebrate its 110th annual "Best Ever" St. Pat's celebration. The theme for this year's celebration is "High Noon."
The campus celebration began in 1908, when a group of Rolla students declared St. Patrick to be the patron saint of engineers. St. Pat's has since grown to encompass a full week of events, as well as campus traditions that begin in early March.
The schedule for the 110th St. Pat's celebration at Missouri S&T is as follows:
-- Monday through Wednesday: The annual "Snake Invasion" begins. Students club plastic snakes on campus with decorative sticks called shillelaghs.
-- March 10: The Coterie St. Pat's Ball happens at 6 p.m. The event includes a four-course dinner and dancing to live music in Hasselmann Alumni House, located at 1100 N. Pine St. in Rolla. For tickets or more information, contact Dilek Acar at dilek@rollanet.org.
-- March 12 and 13: St. Pat's Follies, noon, at the Puck, a campus landmark located in front of Toomey Hall.
-- March 14: Court arrival, approximately 11:45 a.m. in downtown Rolla. St. Pat and his court, portrayed by S&T students, will officially arrive in downtown Rolla aboard a converted railway ore cart. They will then proceed from the south end of Pine Street to the Rolla Band Shell, located at the corner of 9th and Oak streets, for St. Pat's Follies at noon.
-- March 15: The annual Gonzo and Games event, featuring students in a variety of games and contests begins at 10 a.m., at Schuman Park, located at 103 E. 14th St. in Rolla.
-- March 16: Two main events occur this day. At noon, the Gonzo and Games continues at Schuman Park. At 9 p.m., the annual Coronation and Knighting Ceremony is scheduled at Leach Theatre inside Castleman Hall, located at 10th and Main streets in Rolla. The event is open to the public and free to attend.
Events on St. Patrick's Day
On March 17, St. Pat's is celebrated in Rolla, with events happening throughout the day. The schedule includes:
-- 7 a.m.: Pine Street painting.
-- 8 a.m.: The St. Pat's 5K, sponsored by the Rolla Area Chamber of Commerce, begins. Advance registration is $25, and can be completed online at besteverstpats5k.itsyourrace.com/register. Same-day registration opens at 7 a.m. at the Public House Brewing Co., located at 600 N. Rolla St. in Rolla. For more information, call 573-364-3577.
-- 9 a.m.: The annual pre-parade breakfast takes place at Hasselmann Alumni House, 1100 N. Pine St. This complimentary meal is open to the community on a first-come, first-served basis.
-- 11 a.m.: The St. Pat's Parade procedes along Pine Street in downtown Rolla.
-- Noon: The St. Pat's Grateful Board Concert begins. This free concert is open to the public at the Rolla Band Shell. At 2 p.m., the concert moves to the nearby soundstage to host this year's headliner, Tech N9ne, a rapper and songwriter known for his single "Caribou Lou."
-- 1:30 p.m.: A dedication of the St. Patrick statue outside the Curtis Laws Wilson Library on the Missouri S&T campus is planned. This formal ceremony will present a statue created by artist Rudolph Edward Torrini.
For more information on the events listed, see the St. Pat's Committee website at stpats.mst.edu.
(Editor's note: Information provided by Missouri S&T.)
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