St. Patrick’s Day Parade And Festivities
Submitted by Kevin O’Malley
The Hoosick Falls St. Patrick’s Parade is right around the corner on Saturday, March 14 at 1 pm. This year the parade will feature the Taconic Pipe, The Berkshire Highlanders Pipe Band, The Fyfes and Drumms of Olde Saratoga, The Hoosick Falls School Band, Brattleboro Post #5 Legion Band and The Yankee Doodle Band. The parade will form in Wood Park in Hoosick Falls, travel on Main Street, John Street, Church Street, Willard Street and back down Main Street. Floats and marchers are still welcome to enter this year’s parade.
The Hoosick Falls Irish Festival lineup is set for that day as well, after the St. Patrick’s Parade in the Hoosick Armory. The band Caric Agus Ceol will kick things off. They are an Irish trio that brings “good times and music” (or, as they say in Irish, “craic agus ceol”) wherever they go. The Bagpipers of the Taconic Pipe Band and Berkshire Highlanders will perform a short concert, followed by a performance by The Hubbard Hall Irish Dancers. The Dancers are a family school of Irish Dance, dedicated to keeping cultural traditions alive, and sharing and passing on a sense of creativity, fun, movement, and community through music and dance. Some of the dancers have been at Hubbard Hall for 10 years or more, learning set and Ceili dances, traditional jigs, hornpipes, slip jigs and reels, as well as original and student-driven choreographies. The older ones help to teach the younger ones, and they carry it on into their lives, dancing at college and beyond.
New this year is Irish Storytelling from Kate Dudding. Kate shares stories from her Irish heritage: folk tales, personal stories and historical stories all from the lovely Emerald Isle. Between stories, we all sing songs that make any day seem like St. Patrick’s Day. Food will be available from Jean’s Place with Corned Beef Sandwiches and other treats. A cash bar is also available for beer and wine. For more information contact Kevin O’Malley at 518-894-5035.