As the morning drizzle subsided, a wave of green swarmed Denver, taking over the streets.
Saturday’s 55th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade filled the streets with a mix of young and old, Irish and non-Irish, garish and those whose only green was the bead necklace that was handed to them by concerned citizens.
Some watchers took over bar patios along the parade route for easy drinking. Others set out blankets and chairs, sitting up close for better sights. None were deterred by the stormy weather — although some weren’t quite prepared for it.
The parade included bagpipers, drummers, Irish dancers, horses, extensive floats, bands and a surprising number of Star Wars stormtroopers — some of whom wore kilts. Several local politicians made an appearance, including Mayor Michael Hancock, who was flanked by Denver Police Chief Robert White, and Congresswoman Diana DeGette.
The parade kicked off to a good start as the Michael Collins Pipes and Drums band formed a circle in front of the announcers so a member could propose to his fellow bandmate.
Don’t worry — she said yes.
Nothing like a St. Patrick's Day Parade proposal
— Danika Worthington ♉️ (@Dani_Worth)
Dressed in a white shirt and kilt, William Yull watched the parade on Blake Street with Emily Certain. Yull’s grandparents hailed from Ireland and he still has some family living there.
His immediate family now lives in Dallas and he said they go to the parade together every year. Certain, though, is from Kentucky and said St. Patrick’s Day parades aren’t common there, so this was her first one.
“We wanted to make sure we got to see all of the festivities going on here,” Yull said. “Itap really fun to be part of a community.”
Over by Union Station, friends Jen McFarlin and Katie Hamilton were dressed head to toe in green. Between the two of them, there were green sunglasses, jackets, socks, hair pieces, necklaces, a onesie, four leaf clover face stickers and a crown. Standing next to them was Hamilton’s husband Spencer, who was wearing a single green necklace and slightly green flannel he found in his closet.
The friends have been coming to the parade for seven years and learned to check the weather ahead of time after they got stuck in shorts during a particularly cold parade day. Beyond the jackets, they also made sure to grab warm coffees beforehand.
“Itap just fun to come down here, see everyone get into the spirit, whether itap warm or cold,” Katie Hamilton said.
Other parades took place across the metro area and state, including ones in Aurora, Colorado Springs and Fort Collins.
