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Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeNewsLocal news50th St. Patrick's Day Parade Struts Its Way Through Christiansted

50th St. Patrick’s Day Parade Struts Its Way Through Christiansted

Students from Pearl B. Larsen Elementary School wore green – and almost every other color – as they danced through Christiansted Saturday. (Linda Morland photo)
Students from Pearl B. Larsen Elementary School wore green – and almost every other color – as they danced through Christiansted Saturday. (Linda Morland photo)
Parade Grand Marshall Billy Gibbon, who helped organize the original St. Croix St. Patrick's Day Parade, and Chandra Henderson. Linda Morland photo)
Parade Grand Marshall Billy Gibbon, who helped organize the original St. Croix St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and Chandra Henderson. Linda Morland photo)

Christiansted turned green Saturday, as St. Croix celebrated its 50th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade – a half century of fanciful attire, outlandish floats and revelry in the spirit of the Auld Sod, as the Irish and the Irish at heart might say.

Irish green was everywhere and on everything – green beer, green jello, green plastic bowlers, green face paint and fright wigs.

The grand marshall of this year’s festivities was Billy Gibbons, one of the organizers of St. Croix’s first St. Patrick’s Day parade 50 years ago. He rode behind a banner proclaiming him “Last Man Standing.”

Video of the three student musical performances can be seen here.

Tony Emmanuel carries the flag early in the parade, the Stars and Stripes snapping in the wind as he rides. (Linda Morland photo)
Tony Emmanuel carries the flag early in the parade, the Stars and Stripes snapping in the wind as he rides. (Linda Morland photo)
For a day, their green garb makes these moko jumbies the tallest leprechauns anyone's ever seen. (Linda Morland photo)
For a day, their green garb makes these moko jumbies the tallest leprechauns anyone’s ever seen. (Linda Morland photo)
The Krew de Croix rolls through town. (Linda Morland photo)
The Krew de Croix rolls through town. (Linda Morland photo)
Perennial favorites, the denizens of the Lost Dog Tavern in Frederiksted take part in Saturday's festivities. (Linda Morland photo)
Perennial favorites, the denizens of the Lost Dog Tavern in Frederiksted take part in Saturday’s festivities. (Linda Morland photo)
The Marching Caribs of St. Croix's Central High School step off with ene\rgy. (Linda Morland photo)
The Marching Caribs of St. Croix’s Central High School step off with energy. (Linda Morland photo)
A mermaid blows bubbles as the St. Patrick's Parade rolls through town. (Linda Morland photo)
A mermaid blows bubbles as the St. Patrick’s Parade rolls through town. (Linda Morland photo)
Lookin' for a pot of gold: These leprechauns are raising funds for the St Croix Animal Welfare Center. (Linda Morland photo)
Lookin’ for a pot of gold: These leprechauns are raising funds for the St Croix Animal Welfare Center. (Linda Morland photo)
Grand Marshall Billy Gibbons rides through town as "the last man standing" of those who organized the first St. Patrick's Day parade on St. Croix 50 years ago. (Linda Morland photo)
Grand Marshall Billy Gibbons rides through town as “the last man standing” of those who organized the first St. Patrick’s Day parade on St. Croix 50 years ago. (Linda Morland photo)
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