By Mary Spicer
Eileen Mullen, who inherited Meadville’s annual mid-March parade half a dozen years ago from her late father, was amazed and astounded at the turnout for Saturday’s 23rd Annual Jack Curtin St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Celebration.
“It looked surprisingly good, especially down on lower Chestnut Street,” Eileen Mullen said Monday. “It was packed. With the suspicion of rain coming, there was a surprising number of people.”
As Mullen sees it, formal crowd tabulation is an art form best left to those with helicopters. However, her decidedly informal count indicated that the 2010 audience turnout was the biggest ever.
Ditto for the parade itself. “I think that it grows every year — and this year was the biggest,” Mullen said.
“The lineup stretched all the way down Diamond Park — and there were at least 10 dogs marching,” she said. In terms of canine turnout, the 2010 parade definitely set a new record, she added with a chuckle. “There were more walkers in it this year, too,” she continued. “Lots of people dressed up in green to represent different clubs and organizations. It was a real crowd.”
As for the future, what she terms “the absolutely amazing” outflowing of community support for the Grand Leprechaun Contest in recent years has Mullen — and the rest of the parade committee — envisioning even bigger, better parades.
Ninety percent of the proceeds raised by each candidate in the race to wear the coveted Grand Leprechaun Hat in the parade is passed on to the charity of the candidate’s choice and the remaining 10 percent helps fund the parade as well as pre- and post-parade celebrations.
Until now, that’s pretty much been limited to a bit of entertainment and some awards. Lots of awards, in fact, including a variety of plaques and gift certificates from local merchants for marchers who make the best use of the theme color. For those who have already spent way too much time in the springtime sun, that would be green.
But that, dear readers, may be only the beginning.
“We’re thinking about offering significant money to a high school marching band,” she said. “And maybe even a prize for the best decorated vehicle.” Considering all the fuss this community already manages to muster on behalf of a big green hat, can honest-to-St.-Patrick floats be far behind?
Mary Spicer can be reached at 724-6370 or by e-mail at mspicer@meadvilletribune.com.
