Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Monday, March 17, 2008
Everyone is Irish for a day
Parade draws green crowd to Corktown
Jennifer Chambers / The Detroit News

DETROIT -- After a long, cold winter trapped inside, thousands of Metro Detroiters bathed themselves in green and flocked to Michigan Avenue on Sunday to celebrate the 50th annual St. Patrick's Parade.

Revelers -- decorated with shiny beads, mad green hats and shamrock shades -- lined the avenue in Corktown, home to many early arriving immigrants from Ireland and, specifically, County Cork.

First-time parade-goer Gloria Desjardine sat in a folding chair behind the thick crowd, a hand-knit blanket across her lap.

The 72-year-old Clinton Township woman finally decided to join her two daughters, their husbands and her grandchildren for a first-hand look at the event.

"I love it. I think it's nice to see people celebrate sensibly. It's good, clean fun," said Desjardine, wearing a sequined green hat, beads and green shades.

Chilly but dry weather didn't dampen the spirits of the family-friendly event, sponsored by the United Irish Societies, which boasted more than a dozen floats, marching bands and dance troupes.

For the 50th anniversary, parade organizers promised more of everything, Darlene Kline noticed.

"It's getting bigger and crazier every year," Kline said, wearing a lavish green boa against a black winter coat. "I come no matter what the weather is."

Children sat on parents' shoulders, yelling for candy and beads to come their way. Adults of all ages, races and ethnicities warded off the cold with some festive parade drinks, including beer, and whiskey.

Scanning the festive crowd, which was full of many Irish families but mostly Irish-admirers, professor Clyde Wilson observed more than the floats weaving their way down Michigan Avenue.

An architecture professor from Lawrence Technological University, Wilson was at the parade with 16 students who are producing a film about it as part of a larger study of urbanism in Detroit.

"So much of Detroit's urbanism is about events like this one," Wilson said, staring across the crowd. "There is a lot of pent-up demand for something like this. It's a rite of spring. We are social creatures. We love being out with one another."

Another celebrator was Tim Grenanco, 41, of Warren who donned an ankle-length homemade green cape decorated with hand-sewn shamrocks with green boa at the cuffs and edges. The garment, which took 24 hours to complete, made Grenanco a stand-out in a sea of people embracing an Irish identity for the day.

The celebration of St. Patrick's Day continues today -- the official holiday -- with Masses and other events across Metro Detroit.

You can reach Jennifer Chambers at (248) 647-7402 or jchambers@detnews.com.

Photos from Elizabeth Conley / The Detroit News


Septina Marie Monroe gets into the spirit with her granddaughter,
Rebecca Louise Clark, while watching the 50th Annual St. Patrick's Day
Parade in Detroit on Sunday, March 16, 2008.


A parade-goer wears shamrock head gear while watching the parade.


Members of the Downriver Irish American Club march down Michigan Avenue.


The Ancient Order of Hibernians-Norman O'Brien Division's float recognizes the 50th anniversary of the parade.


An Irish Setter dons a wee hat for the parade.

Not Irish myself, but definitely Celtic! For me it's Celtic Pride Day!

laprimamirala wrote:

Not Irish myself, but definitely Celtic! For me it's Celtic Pride Day!

You go girl!