St. Patrick, kilt-wearing bagpipers, Irish step dancers and beer-swigging firefighers and police officers starred in the 101st annual St. Patrick’s Day parade in South Boston yesterday.
The celebration was part family event, part pep rally and part drunken party. The raucous crowd formed a sea of green clothing, green plastic top hats and green hair, along with Irish flags lining the route from the Broadway T stop to Anderson Square. According to police, the crowd numbered 800,000, and, despite some rowdiness, most were well behaved and enjoyed the event.
Marching police officers and firemen from both Boston and New York drew the largest response. “Cops rule!” shouted one admirer in the crowd, prompting cheers and applause as the officers passed by with beers by Guinness, Budweiser and Coors in hand.
“If the police can drink in the streets, why can’t I?” joked Dan Anzaldi, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Applied Health Science freshman. “Really, the parade was unbelievable.”
Anzaldi did say the parade did have its disappointments.
“I was expecting leprechauns,” he said.
Horse-drawn carts carried kegs through the streets, prompting toasts from poorly hidden cans and bottles pulled from revelers’ pockets. Popular television characters such as Elmo, Cookie Monster, tin men and McGruff brought smiles to children decked in shamrock face paint.
The parade celebrated not only the traditional Irish themes of St. Patrick’s Day, but also patriotism. The event was awash with political campaigning, with politicians representing a large portion of the parade, and many, including gubernatorial candidate and Senate President Thomas Birmingham, walked the three-mile route while shaking hands with the crowd.
American flags flew alongside the Irish flag throughout the celebration, and floats included signs with such messages as “United we stand,” commemorating those lost in the Sept. 11 attacks.
Boston team pride permeated the parade as well, as Bruins, Celtics and Red Sox fans rallied around Boston-themed floats.
“I went to experience a piece of Boston heritage,” said College of Communication freshman Jim Trousdule. “I liked the variety of entertainment offered, and my favorite color is green.”
Entertainment during the approximately 90-minute parade included several bagpipe groups from the Boston Gaelic Fire Brigade, Boston Police Gaelic Community and Eastern Long Island Police Pipes and Drums. Marching bands from Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania paraded with veterans and were followed by unicyclists. Many spectators chose to become a part of the parade, joining stoic color guard and cheerful police officers for the march.
Floats featured guest of honor St. Patrick, as well as Uncle Sam and the Irish Culture Center’s young step dancers. Offbeat additions included a German Oktoberfest float, which featured German music, and a bomb squad float.
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