Irish eyes were smiling on Breanne Patton on Sunday night.

Patton, 23, was announced as this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Queen during a coronation ceremony and dinner at The Flamingo Club, 501 N. Ninth St. She was selected from a pool of five candidates by the St. Patrick’s Day committee.

All of the candidates have been involved in various community activities in conjunction with St. Patrick’s Day celebration charity fund-raisers for months. The committee bases its selection on that community service and the women’s interaction with people, chairman Gene Shaughnessy said.

Patton, an Emporia native who graduated from Kansas University in December, said she was asked by a committee member to become involved in St. Patrick’s Day activities, and she decided to do it while looking for a full-time job.

“I wanted to get out in the community, and I thought this would be a good way to do it,” Patton said.

Community involvement was the primary reason the other women also got involved in St. Patrick’s Day activities.

“There are so many things they (the committee) are involved with, and it’s all for a good cause,” said Jenny Hohman, 24, of Lawrence.

Added queen candidate Erin McNeese, 21: “It’s really been a lot of fun.”

Heidi Nelson, 26, moved with her husband to Lawrence from Wisconsin last year and saw her St. Patrick’s Day involvement as a way to get to know the town.

Patton

But Erin Adams, 23, had a special reason for her St. Patrick’s Day involvement.

“My parents were married during the first parade,” Adams said.

It was 17 years ago, during the first Lawrence St. Patrick’s Day parade, that Adams’ parents — Alan Johnson and Terri Wilson — were married on a float.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Events Schedule

This year’s parade will be 1 p.m. Wednesday, along Massachusetts Street.

At least 70 entrants are expected, Shaughnessy said.