For an hour or so Saturday, Racine turned Irish. under a bright blue sky and seasonably warm temperatures.
The city's St. Patrick's Day parade, bookended by motorcycles at the front and antique fire engines at the rear, wended from State Street down Main and Sixth, bringing great gobs of green: Green hats, green hair and faces, green beads, Irish flags.
There were red and green-bearded leprechauns, a Star Wars stormtrooper in a kilt. Irish dancers and music. Irish dogs in the best holiday finery. A row of shiny Pontiac Solstices. An oversize Adirondack chair advertising this summer's public art project: Sonny and Chair, the Summer '09 Tour.
The Downtown Racine Corporation ran out of green beer in Monument Square by the end of the parade, but that didn't dampen the festivities (regular beer was still available), as the DRC found the child with the reddest hair, the most freckles. And the best-dressed Irish pooch.
Faith and begorrah!
Color Guard leads the parade
Miss Racine has a smile for everyone
Sunny and Chair, the Summer Tour
Mayor Tom Friedel
Irish dancers from all over...
Men in kilts...
Stormtrooper in a kilt got no guff
This boy won the 'most freckles' contest
And here's a 'redhead' winner
'Best-dressed Irish dog'
Lots of smiles from the sidelines
A lot of hat variety...
Parades take a lot out of you!
Racine Post, we saw you in the parade! Thanks for the coverage. What an awesome day for a fun parade.
ReplyDeleteYou guys do nice work.
ReplyDeleteIs there anymore pics? You took a photo of my daughter and she is disappointed we can't find it! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteHi Anon 4:56 - Please take a look again, more pics were put up just recently and there are still more coming!
ReplyDelete