Join Us for the 2025 Annual St. Patrick’s Day Irish Celebration and Soda Bread Contest!
The Belmar Public Library is thrilled to invite you to our Annual St. Patrick’s Day Irish Celebration and Soda Bread Contest!
When & Where:
Mark your calendars for Wednesday, March 12, at 6 PM! We’ll be gathering at the Taylor Pavilion, located at 500 Ocean Ave., Belmar, NJ.
Get ready for a fantastic evening filled with fun, including a lively Irish Step-Dancing performance by the talented D’Arcy School of Irish Dance from Wall, NJ. Plus, we’ll have refreshments and, of course, our beloved Annual Soda Bread Contest!
Before You Enter:
Please take a moment to review the rules and registration links below. They’ll help guide you through the process.
Space is limited, so we ask everyone who plans to attend to register with us. And the best part? Entry to our contest and attendance to the event is completely FREE and OPEN to all!
Registration Links:
We have two separate links—one for those entering the contest and another for attendees. Make sure to pick the right one!
Contest Rules
This year, we’re excited to host TWO contests: Standard White Soda Bread and Brown Bread. Each contest can have a maximum of 20 entries, and you’re welcome to enter either one or both!
How to Register:
You can register on the Belmar Public Library website or stop by in person at the Library. Just a quick reminder: the registration deadline is Friday, March 7th, at 5 PM.
Rules for Standard White Soda Bread
This contest is all about Traditional Irish Soda Bread. To enter, your creation must include these four must-have ingredients:
- White flour
- Soured milk
- Baking soda (also known as bread soda or sodium bicarbonate)
- Salt
Feel free to add other ingredients, but remember, your bread should still “soda” and not rise with yeast. And let’s keep it a loaf, please don’t make it look too much like a cake!
Delivery Details:
Bring your entries to the Taylor Pavilion between 3 and 5 PM on Wednesday, March 12, before the event kicks off.
Important:
Follow the rules closely; failure to do so may lead to disqualification.
Rules for Brown Bread
For those entering the Brown Soda Bread contest, your loaf must include these four ingredients:
- Whole wheat flour (no white flour, please!)
- Soured milk
- Baking soda (a.k.a. bread soda or sodium bicarbonate)
- Salt
As with the white bread, you can add other ingredients, but don’t let it turn into a cake. The judges should easily identify it as bread.
Delivery Details:
Entries should also be delivered to the Taylor Pavilion between 3 and 5 PM on Wednesday, March 12.
Important:
Again, following these rules is crucial to avoid disqualification.
Prizes:
Our judges will have the final say, and each contest will award:
- 1st Prize: $50 Gift Card, Trophy, and Bragging Rights
- 2nd Prize: Trophy and Bragging Rights
- 3rd Prize: Trophy and Bragging Rights
- Honorable Mention: Trophy and Bragging Rights
Winners, be ready for your close-up! We’ll take your picture for the press and library staff. If you have any concerns about this, please reach out to Luis Pulido in advance by calling the library or emailing him at lpulido@belmar.com.
We can’t wait to celebrate with you and see all the amazing soda bread creations! Happy baking! 🍀