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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Rain clears in time for St. Patrick’s Day parade

Umbrellas were put away as the morning rain stopped right before the start of the 37th Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade, March 14, 2015, in Spokane, Wash. (Dan Pelle)
The weather looked so dreary Saturday morning that Mary Eberle offered to take her four boys to the grocery store for candy instead of heading down to the parade and getting sweets there. “They wouldn’t hear of it,” she said. The sky above downtown Spokane dried just as the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade was about to begin Saturday, allowing a noticeably thinner crowd to put their umbrellas down as the parade entries wound their way through downtown Spokane. Dannie Neal and her family have come to every parade hosted by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick for the last eight years and she wasn’t about to stay home this year. “We went and bought and umbrella just in case,” she said. “You can’t not come.” She wore shamrock earrings, a shamrock hair clip and a green shawl. Others in her group were similarly attired with things from Neal’s “bucket of green stuff” at home. “We just add to it every year,” she said of their collection of green accessories. This year Neal brought along a parade novice, Jennifer Schmitz, who proudly sported a shamrock headband. “I’m loving it,” she said as the parade streamed by in front of her. “This is wonderful.” Eberle, who had offered her kids the trip to the grocery store, said she noticed that the crowd was much smaller than usual. “It’s kind of a cold day for a parade,” she said as she turned up her coat collar against the wind. She’s been bringing her family to the parade for the last decade. “I was a Lilac Princess, so maybe that’s why I love a parade,” said Eberle, who represented Lewis and Clark High School in 1998. The parade included several bagpipe groups, including the Angus Scot Pipe Band and the Spokane County Firefighters Pipes and Drums. Spokane Mayor David Condon was near the front of the parade, wearing a kilt as he handed out candy to children with their hands out. There were more than 150 entries in all, including ATV riders, Irish dancers, fire engines, basset hounds and dyed-green horses. Stephanie Michelson and her friend wore matching green tutus and earrings made out of Lighthouse Lager beer caps to watch the parade. She also wore a large collection of green beads, pins and buttons. Her outfit was topped off by a small green hat perched on her head. “It’s just the fun of the day,” said Michelson, about why she likes to dress up for the annual event. “Everybody is Irish for the day is the cliché statement.” Michelson is not Irish, but said she’d love to live in Ireland. “I’ve been there,” she said. “I want to go back.”