Missouri S&T is gearing up for its 115th annual “Best Ever” St. Pat’s celebration this March. The theme for this year’s celebration is “St. Pat’s on the Prairie.”

The campus celebrations began in 1908, when a group of Rolla students declared a holiday on St. Patrick’s Day to celebrate the patron saint of engineers. St. Pat’s has since grown to encompass a full week of events sponsored by the St. Pat’s Board at S&T, as well as campus traditions that begin in early March. Two community-sponsored events are also included in the schedule.

The current schedule for the 115th Best Ever St. Pat’s celebration at Missouri S&T is as follows:

Monday, March 6, through Wednesday, March 8:

9 a.m.-4 p.m.: Snake Invasion on the Toomey Hall Lawn. Students will club plastic snakes with decorative sticks called shillelaghs.

Saturday, March 11:

6 p.m.: St. Pat’s Ball sponsored by Coterie. The event includes dinner and dancing with the live band Syner-Gee at Matt’s Steakhouse, located at 12200 Dillon Outer Drive in Rolla. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit coterie-mst.org. This is a community event.

Monday, March 13, and Tuesday March 14:

Noon: St. Pat’s Follies at the Carney Puck and Plaza, a campus landmark located in front of Toomey Hall. Students tell jokes, participate in games and present St. Pat’s swag from years past.

Wednesday, March 15:

11:30 a.m. to noon: Court arrival at the Puck. St. Pat and the court, portrayed by S&T students, will officially arrive in Rolla aboard a converted railway car. They will proceed from the corner of 6th and Pine streets to the Carney Puck and Plaza on the S&T campus for the final day of St. Pat’s Follies.

Thursday, March 16:

Noon-6 p.m.: Gonzo and Games and Gonzo Carnival at Schuman Park, located at 103 E. 14th St. in Rolla. Gonzo and Games is a two-day contest in which student organizations compete in various games. The Gonzo Carnival will be held alongside Gonzo and Games, featuring booths run by student organizations.

Friday, March 17:

9 a.m.: Gonzo Gives Back Day of Service. Students will participate in volunteer work in the Rolla community.

Noon-6 p.m.: Gonzo and Games and Gonzo Carnival, Schuman Park.

9 p.m.: Coronation and Knighting Ceremony at Leach Theatre in Castleman Hall, located at 10th and Main streets in Rolla. The 2023 St. Pat’s Queen and her court will be announced, and S&T’s 2023 honorary knights will be recognized. The event is open to the public and free to attend.

Saturday, March 18:

8 a.m.: St. Pat’s 5K and Beer Run. The 5K is sponsored by the Rolla Area Chamber of Commerce and Blue Fish Screen Printing and Designs, while the Beer Run is sponsored by the Rolla Chamber and Public House Brewing Company. Registration costs $35 for either race, or participants can register for both events for a discounted price of $60. For more information or to register online, visit besteverstpats5k.itsyourrace.com.

9-10:30 a.m.: Pre-Parade Breakfast, outside Hasselmann Alumni House at 1100 N. Pine St. in the north parking lot. This event is hosted by the Miner Alumni Association and is free and open to the community on a first-come, first-served basis.

11 a.m.: St. Pat’s Parade on Pine Street in downtown Rolla. This year the parade will start at the intersection of 6th Street and Rolla Street, travel east to Pine Street, north on Pine to 11th Street, west on 11th Street to Rolla Street, and south on Rolla Street, to finish at 9th Street.

Noon-4 p.m.: St. Pat’s Grateful Board Festival in downtown Rolla, featuring local vendors, food trucks and Grateful Dead cover band The Schwag.

6 p.m.: St. Pat’s Concert on the Havener Lawn. Tickets are required and are free for S&T students, faculty and staff. Students may purchase tickets for non-S&T guests for $20 in advance. Remaining tickets will be available at the event for the same price. Doors open at 6 p.m. The concert will feature COIN, Crash Adams and Shiloh.

For more information on Missouri S&T’s St. Pat’s celebrations, visit the St. Pat’s Board website at stpats.mst.edu.

About Missouri University of Science and Technology

Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,000 students. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri System and located in Rolla, Missouri, Missouri S&T offers 101 degrees in 40 areas of study and is among the nation’s top 10 universities for return on investment, according to Business Insider. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit www.mst.edu.