Ever greener, ever grander, Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is scheduled for Saturday, March 16. The parade is an annual celebration of all things Irish, including the Irish sentiment of being “welcoming, warm, hospitable and giving.”
“In Dublin, you don’t have to be Irish to have Irish attitude,” says Mary Jo DiSalvo, events administrator for the city of Dublin. “If you love Dublin, that’s Irish attitude. If you give back to the community, that’s Irish attitude.”
This year, the parade is sporting both a new logo – embodied in larger-than-life form by a giant helium balloon – and a float that celebrates the Presidents Cup.
The new logo, a green Irish top hat, will come alive as a parade balloon that from now on will serve as the showpiece for the event.
The parade is presided over by the “Grand Leprechaun,” a community member with a giving attitude who has devoted himself or herself to making Dublin a better place to live and work. Drawing from a pool of individuals or couples nominated by Dublin residents, Grand Leprechauns from years past vote on who will join their ranks. They were to have announced their decision in mid-January. Every year, the Grand Leprechaun sports a green top hat, so the refreshed logo reflects one of Dublin’s most longstanding traditions, DiSalvo says.
The Presidents Cup float commemorates Dublin as the location for the 2013 Presidents Cup in October. Twenty-four of the world’s top golfers will come together in this competition that offers international, non-European golfers the chance to take on the U.S. team.
More than 100 units, including marching bands, bagpipers and clowns, turn up to march in the parade, DiSalvo says. The crowd goes all-out as well.
“Along the parade route, everyone is decked out in green and white, Irish hats and outfits,” DiSalvo says. “It’s as much fun watching the spectators as it is for the spectators to watch the parade.”
To kick-start the day, parade attendees can fuel up at 7 a.m. at the Lions Club’s pancake breakfast at Sells Middle School. Then, head to the Inflation Celebration to watch the parade’s balloons become inflated at 9 a.m. At 10:15, The Hooligans take the stage at The Review Stand. The parade takes off at 11 a.m. from Metro Center.
Irish enthusiasts can celebrate again the following day, March 17, with the Shamrock Club of Columbus’ annual St. Patrick’s Day festivities, including the Downtown parade at 11:45 a.m.
Andrea Frazier is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at laurand@cityscenemediagroup.com.
