Portland's St. Patrick's Day parade brings joy with music, dance, and Guinness
PORTLAND, Maine (WGME) -- The St. Patrick's Day celebrations were in full swing in Portland, as the annual St. Patty's day parade, thrown by the Irish American Club, took over Commercial Street.
"The pint of Guinness is here, and we’re having a fantastic time at Portland's St. Patrick’s day parade; so much fun, music, dogs, step-dancing, you just can’t beat this," Kevin Simpson of NAPPI Distributors and the parade's Guinness mascot said.
Family, friends, and furry pets lined Commercial Street for the big parade, many decked out in their best green gear, celebrating Irish heritage.
"Passing out all the treats and seeing everyone smile and be happy, basically everything I would say, seeing all the amazing costumes that they have, and the Irish dancing. It’s really great," a girl said when asked about her favorite part.
The parade featured the Irish American Club's parade of flags, drums, and pipe bands, members of the local police and fire departments, and much more.
And the big finish? The Stillson School of Irish Dance's team performing an amazing Irish jig.
"You don’t have to be Irish, you don’t have to be anything. Music is the universal language of the whole world, and everyone can tap their hands and clap and smile for no other reason," Carlene Stillson, owner and director of the school, said.
The fun continues throughout the next few days with a handful of businesses offering special St. Patrick’s Day food and drinks.
Plus, there's a long list of St. Patty's Day events, including the Paddy's Day Plunge into the East End Beach at 5:30 Monday morning to raise funds for the Portland firefighters' Children’s Burns Foundation.
"The pub crawl starts now, so come down here and Commercial Street, the Old Port, all your favorite spots, and have a great time," Simpson said.