March 13, 2010

For a few hours, everyone was Irish!


It was cold and wet Saturday -- "Just like Ireland," said one parade-goer. Perfect weather, in other words, for Racine's annual St. Patrick's Day Parade.

For over an hour they marched up Main Street and then to City Hall. There were politicians -- Mayor John Dickert and Aldermen Jeff Coe and Jim Kaplan (only Coe wore a kilt), and would-be-judges Georgia Herrera and Gene Gasiorkiewicz (neither of them with an ounce of Irish blood, I'd guess, although Gene faked it amusingly with the sign on his car). And there were dogs up for adoption. And bagpipers, more men in kilts, enthusiastic young dancers and plenty of Irish music.

Fewer floats than usual, was the feeling; and fewer parade-watchers than in previous years when the weather was dryer. But lots of smiles, candy, green beads and happy children. And, yes, a few cups of green beer to take the edge off the cold weather -- and to remind us of what we could be doing if only we were in Dublin...


Celtic Nations Pipes and Drums

David Drake, troubador and squeeze box maestro

Academy of Dance put on a show

Saturday Night Preacher provided lively Irish music

Notables included Mayor John Dickert and his family...

...Alderman Jeff Coe in a kilt...

...and Miss Racine






Couldn't ignore the perfectly coifed Trinity Academy dancers

19 comments:

  1. Great parade with a local flavor!

    Went to the parade with some friends, ate corned beef and cabbage at Raytown Roadhouse while listening to some "Irish country."

    Was a great day to live in Racine!

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  2. You know Dustin and Pete - when you aren't writing slanted negative news stories you can do a pretty decent jobs on the positive ones. Love the pics. I think you should go back to your "Positive Racine" motto.

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  3. Nice pic of Dickert....He thinks he is a celeb.

    Why must you guys gush over him?

    Two homicides last night and he is out celebrating in a parade?

    Uh, OK.

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  4. I just can't get into politics in a parade, it's so lame. Other then that it was a party.

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  5. Racine will never hold a candle to Chi-town, but I had my fun annoying Keith Fair...
    (owns a lexus and can't pay $8K)

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  6. Dickert should be dressed like a leprechaun because he found a pot of gold named city hall.

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  7. "Positive Racine" is a farce so long as there's very little constructive news to report. Miserabile dictu, negative reality remains all-too-real and must never be swept beneath the rug in the time-and-crime-honored tradition of your corporate competitor.

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  8. Those perfect heads of hair, are wigs. Nice pics.

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  9. Why are people in this city so enamored with drinking alcohol every living, breathing minute?

    How much food and clothing are you people taking from your children on a daily/weekly basis?

    Just wondering.

    Have a blessed day.

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  10. Looks like parents are teaching their children at a very young age to party , party, party. How sad. Hope they don't turn into alcoholics later on in life. Spot on anon 9:51.

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  11. C'mon, this is Racine. There's nothing to do but get drunk and watch City Hall rip us off.

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  12. Perhaps we should add another activity: WAXBASHING!

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  13. We all know which cash-cadging clan runs and ruins Racine for its exclusive fun and profit. Resistance to treasure tyrants is obedience to God.

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  14. I'm pretty sure everyone at the parade wasn't drinking. However, everyone knows that the Irish love to drink - is there anything wrong with that? Lighten up people!

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  15. 9:24 = City Hall PIO

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  16. 10:19 = Loser

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  17. Just saw the parade on CAR25 SWEET!

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  18. RACINE - Wondering what to do when you're drunk, cold, tired and wearing a kilt in Downtown Racine?

    One St. Patrick's Day Parade-day reveler allegedly found the answer on the other side of a closed shop's door: You kick in the glass, lie down, and go to sleep.

    ANON 9:24 -

    THIS PROVES ME RIGHT YOU MORON!!!!!

    SINCERELY, ANON 10:00

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  19. Okay so I pretty much concluded that whoever the person who keeps on bashing Johnson Wax is the same person who just comments numerous times. Your are seriously retarted. Do you realize that if they were to move that company there would be far less jobs in Racine than there already are? Or is that concept a little to hard for your small narrow mind to comprehend... You are most likely a former employee that they let go because obviously lack common sense.. You seriously need to get a new day job because you spend way to much time trying to make people think that they are just some money hungry company that simply does not care about this town. If that was true they wouldnt have invested millions of dollars in the comunity. You just make yourself sound like an arragant human being.. Do us all a favor and get a job because as I mentioned previously with out the company staying put we would be far worse off... Have a nice day!!!

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