With the high school’s two marching bands in tow and the St. Croix majorettes sandwiched in between them, it could only mean one thing on St. Croix.
There’s a parade somewhere.
On Saturday, downtown Christiansted played host to the island’s 45th annual St. Patrick’s Day parade, quite possibly the only one in the United States where one can get a Guinness, a shot of rum, a Roti and some corned beef and cabbage, all from the same vendor.
Food and drink aside, though, and there was plenty available on King Street, the luck of the Irish was in the air, as far as the weather went anyway.
With the sun shining down, a light Caribbean breeze blowing in from the harbor and a sea of green-wearing party-goers packing the boardwalk and downtown, the setting couldn’t have been more picturesque for what is the largest annual parade on the island aside from the Christmas Carnival Adult Parade.
“This is phenomenal, and the committee did a good job,” said Paul Radczenko, who led the parade from an old and rather odd looking golf cart that had a funny sounding horn. “Just take a look at the people, the kids, everybody’s smiling and having a good time and enjoying each other.”
Following him dressed as a leprechaun was the parade’s ambassador, Greg Worrell, a 14-year resident of St. Croix who’s been coming to the parade ever since he arrived on island.
He said he was there spreading his luck around.
“This is my most favorite day of the year,” Worrell said. “I let my hair down and have a good time.”
With St. Croix’s economy still suffering and the territory’s residents paying the highest electricity rates in the United States, the theme for the 2014 parade – Better Days Comin’ – seemed fitting.
The grand marshal for this year’s parade, radio personality Kathleen “Kat” McManus, wasn’t just wearing the color green either. She was also passing out bumper stickers from her perch in a yellow convertible that advocated for legalizing something green in the territory – marijuana.
Asked what she loved about St. Patrick’s Day on St. Croix, McManus didn’t shy away from the question, adding that she was dedicating the parade to her late father, Crazy Ed, whom she joked was “a real anarchist” back in her native Illinois.
“The Central High School Marching Band is blowing my mind. The people are having fun and they’re very open-minded,” McManus said. “And it’s one of the most gorgeous days we’ve ever had for a St. Patrick’s Day parade on St. Croix.