Parade’s a green light for gaiety

Downtown Spokane was soused in a sea of green Saturday. Hair, clothing, beer at the pubs – everything took on an emerald sheen.

“It’s a proud day for all the Irish,” said Jerry Lynch of Spokane, who painted his hair, beard and even ears just for the occasion.

Few events in town allow for such shenanigans as the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade. Now in its 28th year, even the non-Irish showed up in droves to take part in one of Spokane’s grandest celebrations.

Thousands lined the streets of downtown for the noon event, sponsored every year by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick. Many arrived an hour before, armed with blankets, lawn chairs and picnic lunches to ensure they got a good view from the sidewalk.

Lynch, who came with more than a dozen family members and relatives, arrived early and saved their usual spot at a parking lot on the corner of Stevens Street and Spokane Falls Boulevard. They’re die-hards when it comes to St. Patrick’s Day, he said. They dress in green from head to toe, wave “Erin Go Bragh” flags and eat corned beef sandwiches as they watch the parade – an event that’s become a family tradition for the past 26 years.

“We’re Lynches,” he explained – Irish, through and through.

It’s a great community event, said Jerry Lynch’s dad, 76-year-old Dave Lynch. He took pride in the fact that 16 of his 17 grandchildren were in Spokane Saturday, either watching or taking part in the parade. “Everyone has a connection,” he said.

For nearly two hours, the Lynches and others in the crowd cheered and waved to the more than 200 floats and organizations that took part in Saturday’s cavalcade.

The fanfare began with the piercing blare of bagpipes played by the kilt-wearing Angus Scott Pipe Band.

A menagerie of animals also took part, including llamas, horses and numerous dogs. The wiener dogs, however, stood out when two dozen dachshunds padded down the street wearing plastic green hats and matching sweaters.

The streets were soon lined with motorized vehicles – fancy convertibles, motorcycles, cement trucks, limousines and semis decorated with balloons and streamers. Golf carts and lawnmowers also weaved through the parade route.

The procession of cars and trucks soon felt like a wave of advertising since most of the vehicles promoted some kind of product or service – everything from income tax preparation to Port-A-Potties. They were accompanied by people who passed out fliers, coupons, pencils, refrigerator magnets and other knickknacks.

One of the most unusual parade entries was a ‘70s motorhome with a sign that said “Second Annual Party! Beaver Bus Tour.” As the RV bounced up and down the street, owner Eric Shardlow and a dozen friends rallied the crowd with cheers and silly antics. One of his friends, Matt Parker, braved the cold temperatures and wore a short, tight-fitting dress that drew plenty of laughs.

Candy also fell from the sky during the parade – thrown from slow-moving convertibles straight into children’s hands or even plastic bags brought especially for the occasion. “Give me candy!” shrieked a group of kids. Sweets followed, sending them into a mad scramble.

While most of the crowd probably wasn’t of Irish descent, people didn’t really need to be to have a good time.

“We’re Red Hatters, so we celebrate everything,” said Judy Brown of Spokane, one of 11 Red Hat Sisters who added green feathered boas and sparkly shamrock earrings to their usual attire of red hats and purple clothing. “St. Patrick’s is another way to get everybody together.”