March 12, 2003 – St. John will celebrate St. Patrick's Day in its own inimitable style on Saturday with a parade in Cruz Bay from the public tennis courts to the FirstBank intersection that's to start at noon.
"We're looking for at least 30 minutes," organizer Steve Krall said, referring to the parade's diminutive duration.
The procession has grown considerably since its inception several years ago, when it ran about 10 or 12 minutes. Last year's went about 20 minutes from Irish flag start to donkey cart finish.
Krall owns Quiet Mon Pub, a St. John link to Ireland. He said the parade has become an attraction for out-of-towners who plan their vacation around the event.
"We've got 16 people from Buffalo coming with banners," he said.
Ticking off a list of confirmed entries, he said some Bostonians are coming for the second year in a row, a group of motorcyclists will form a contingent, and local groups including the Middle-Age Majorettes will strut their stuff.
There may be a contingent of Scots among the would-be Irish, too. Krall is hoping that a piper will make an appearance and expects nearly half a dozen folks to show up in kilts.
Part of the parade's appeal is its rather loose organizational structure. This means anyone can show up with or without a group at the tennis courts just minutes before the parade starts and claim a place in the lineup.
The Quiet Mon will serve the traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner after the parade, and Krall said there will be reduced prices on all Irish drinks. He said he hopes that, as in years past, musicians will show up at the bar to play.
While St. Patrick's Day — March 17 — is actually Monday, Krall said the celebration is set for Saturday because he can't get the police to close the street on a school day.
Also, he added, the Saturday date "gives you a day to recover."
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