New York – An ice storm wiped away the traditional green stripe painted on Fifth Avenue, but it could not keep away thousands of St. Patrick’s Day celebrants from the city’s parade Saturday.
“We came to party!” declared Una Murray of Dublin, Ireland, who carried green, white and orange balloons and sported fake green braids.
Revelers came to watch the 246th parade, cheering marching bands and men and women in uniform.
The event typically draws 2 million spectators and 150,000 marchers.
By late morning, Fifth Avenue pubs were packed with people wearing green hats, green boas, green ponchos and flashing green necklaces. People walked the sidewalks with green hair and eyebrows.
The party was preceded by another March tradition: an annual bit of Irish infighting.
Parade boss John Dunleavy moved Fire Department marchers from their traditional spot at the start of the parade to a location farther back. The shift was a response to an incident last year when New Orleans firefighters delayed the parade while unfurling a banner thanking New York for its aid after Hurricane Katrina.
