ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Even though St. Patrick’s Day was on Saturday, Irish eyes were smiling in Old Town Alexandria on Sunday.
A crowd lined Old Town Alexandria’s King Street for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which was postponed from March 3 due to the dangerous wind storm that battered the area.
No wind stopped the show on the rescheduled day for the annual parade. It was sunny and spectators seemed to enjoy the weather.
A crowd lined King Street to enjoy the sights and sounds of classic cars, bagpipes, Irish dancing and more during the Ballyshaners yearly festivities.
The organization is named Ballyshanters, which means “Old Towners” in Gaelic.
“I am Irish and I’m part Viking, hence the horns,” Debbie Bell told WTOP as she sat on the 1923 Model T Ford Speedster she and her husband brought up from Fredericksburg, Virginia. Bell donned a plush green and white helmet with a shamrock in the middle and gold horns pointed skyward.
“It just means the world,” she said of the parade. “I love any kind of party.”
Others came out to take advantage of the mild temperatures.
“Getting the kids out to enjoy the nice weather was a main motivation to get out here today,” said Blake Peterson as he held his one year old daughter.
“You couldn’t ask for a better day, especially after all the wild and wacky weather … and it’s great,” said Hurist Morgan, who watched the parade with a group of friends.
St. Patrick himself also made an appearance in the guise of Jim McLaughlin of Burke, Virginia. Burke did have to don an adhesive-affixed beard and green robes to the complete the look.
“My mission has been to show what St. Patrick is all about,” he said.
