Published: June 20, 2008 04:02 pm      

Dublin wants to be a pepper too

DR PEPPER — Heading home Saturday, midway betwixt Dublin — make that Dr Pepper — and Stephenville, it occurred to me that the Dubliners have experienced a banner year. It’s a swell place, Dublin, full of friendly folk, famous for a certain soft drink, and depending on whom you ask, named or not named after that other place in Ireland. Dublin’s also a bit out of the way. Not sure how many out-of-towners pass through in a typical year. Plenty have this year though.

After several reported UFO sightings near Stephenville last January, the Dublin Rotary Club outfoxed that city by agreeing to host an interview session between a UFO investigatory group and witnesses, a move that attracted hundreds of nonresidents, and no doubt, mucho dollars to the local economy.

The masses once again flowed into Dublin Saturday. This time they came to celebrate the 117th birthday of the town’s Dr Pepper bottling plant, said to be the world’s oldest soft drink bottling plant. From talking to people in the crowd, it appears more out-of-towners occupied the city that day than residents.

The festivities, sponsored by Dr Pepper and the Dublin Lion’s Club, marked the seventh such celebration, although owners apparently threw a similar do to mark the plant’s 100th anniversary as well.

As they have in the past, town leaders replaced the city limits signs and changed Dublin’s name to Dr Pepper, Texas, for a week.

Many came for the 10, 2 and 4K races but stayed for the music, magic, the alleyfest and an arts and craft fair. This year’s races attracted more than 400 entrants whose entry fees help Dublin Lions Club charities.

“It’s a great deal, we hold the birthday celebration in conjunction with the Lions Club,” said Jeff Kloster, one of the Dr Pepper plant owners. “We always get a lot of people from out of town. We had the governor here for five years, but he couldn’t make it this year.

“This gives Dublin something to be proud of and a chance for people to get together and celebrate something that’s grown up in Dublin.”

Kloster’s grandfather, Bill Kloster, began working at the plant as a bottle sorter making 10 cents an hour when he was 14. Bill Kloster worked his way up to eventually owning and running the plant until his death in 1999.

Bill Kloster is most famous perhaps for his refusal to stop using Imperial Pure Cane Sugar long after other Dr Pepper manufacturers switched to less expensive corn sweeteners. The decision ensures Dublin Dr Pepper’s superior taste to this day. Or, as David Hira, a magician who performed Saturday, said, “Dr Pepper the way God meant it to be.”

Although many came for the festival fun and free Dr Pepper and tours of the bottling plant, more it seems came to compete in the runs.

“I try to do one of these races every weekend,” said Temple resident Brandi Torrez. “But now I’m going back to the hotel to swim for an hour then come back here and have some fun.”

Austin resident Bernard Manirakiza impressed everyone by placing first in the 10K race for the fourth year running. Another 10K entrant, Killeen resident Lear Riojas, almost didn’t make it.

“We got here late, and I didn’t even have time to register,” Riojas said. “I just jumped in and started running. I figured we’d driven two hours to get here, and I’m not going to turn around now.”

Others simply came to shop, eat, have fun and listen to the music of the 10 to 4 band and Elvis Presley tribute artist Johnny Rockit.

“Two years ago I passed through going to visit a friend in West Texas,” said Stephen Schaphorst of The Colony. “I’d never heard of Dublin and was thinking there sure are a lot of Dr Pepper signs in this town.”

Schaphorst stopped out of curiosity and said he had so much fun that he’s returned every year since. Which is music to the ears of Dublin resident Brenda Sharp.

“This gives the community a chance to come together since we’re a small community anyway,” Sharp said. “It’s also great to see other people come to town that don’t know much about Dublin.”



On the Web:

www.dublindrpepper.com