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Date: 2/28/2023
HOLYOKE — The 5th annual Dobbin’s Tartan Party, a fundraiser for the St. Patrick’s Parade Committee, is returning as parade season inches closer to the city of Holyoke.
Join the St. Patrick’s Committee of Holyoke, along with PeoplesBank on March 4 in bringing the spirit of the parade and road race weekend to Dobbin at the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round. The fundraiser is from 2-4 p.m. and admission to the event is $5 per person and $10 per family. Admission includes unlimited Merry-Go-Round rides.
Dobbin is the name of the famous horse that graced the front lawn of the former Yankee Pedlar Inn from 1953 until its closure in 2016 after 69 years in business. The stuffed horse has been under refurbishment leading up to the parade. Dobbin will be presented at this fundraiser before it is permanently added to the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round outside the Children’s Museum.
The Merry-Go-Round itself has historic significance to the community as it was previously in the defunct Mountain Park on Mount Tom before being purchased and restored by a volunteer fundraising campaign following the park’s closure.
Face painting, hair braiding and glitter, raffle for a tartan rocking horse, a photo booth and food will be available at the fundraiser. There will also be merchandise available.
Senior Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Responsibility for PeoplesBank Matt Bannister spoke with Reminder Publishing about the bank’s willingness to get involved and assist in preparing in any way they can for the annual weekend celebration. It’s ties to the Pedlar and Dobbin are also close, as PeoplesBank purchased the site of the former inn in 2017.
Bannister noted PeoplesBank’s longstanding history when it comes to supporting the annual parade and this fundraiser that is rooted in Holyoke lore that has become part of the tradition leading up.
“The Merry-Go-Round itself is a Holyoke project as well [as Dobbin the horse] so this kind of brings together the St. Patrick’s Parade and the Merry-Go-Round for a bit of a joint celebration,” Bannister said.
Bannister said of all the things the bank supports in the community the St. Patrick’s Day festivities is one of the most important for them as they have a long-shared history with the community, and even the date. Founded in 1885 within days of the March holiday, the bank has always felt a connection to St. Patrick’s Day, one reason why they’ve been an active sponsor of the festivities for so many decades now.
“It’s Holyoke’s homecoming,” Bannister said. “People come together, fly back home to Holyoke, visit it. It’s a great homecoming occasion.”
Bannister also noted the financial “shot in the arm” to the Holyoke economy that the parade brings as the biggest reason for their support in helping where they can with the annual celebration. Back in 2012, the University of Massachusetts’ Donahue Institute did a study on the economic impact the parade brings to the city of Holyoke. The study found that through an economic contribution analysis, the parade generates a total contribution of $20.5 million in local economic activity.
The report also adds that with over 400,000 spectators attracted to a typical parade, $12 million is brought into the region through lodging, food, recreation, groceries, gifts and souvenirs and additional shopping. While the study is a decade old now and costs have inflated, it still serves as a general baseline of the impact brought into the city’s economy.
Bannister hopes families are able to make it out for the Dobbin’s Tartan Party fundraiser as all ticket costs will go directly toward parade weekend.