City's Parade Is First in the Country
By Eric M. Weiss
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, March 4, 2007
In Alexandria, the early bird gets the bagpiper, or something like that.
The city held its annual St. Patrick's Day Parade yesterday, the first in the nation (by an hour) and a full two weeks before the holiday for the patron saint of Ireland.
The parade was blessed with sun, a good crowd and, yes, plenty of bagpipers.
But why so early? Isn't it like opening Christmas presents Dec. 11?
Credit for the brilliant -- or quizzical -- timing goes to parade chairman Pat Troy, who organized the city's first version of the parade 26 years ago.
Troy was inspired to start a St. Patrick's parade after watching the city's annual Christmas Walk. The inaugural parade in 1981 featured one pipe band, the City of Alexandria Pipes and Drums, which marched five blocks down King Street.
To make the parade seem more substantial, Troy had the pipe band go back to the starting point after those five blocks and march again.
"I'll try every trick," said Troy, 65, a vision of heartiness in his red-white-and-green sash, shock of white hair and piercing smile. Troy is a restaurateur/shopkeeper/radio host and enthusiastic emcee of the annual parade, which now spans 13 blocks and boasts many pipe bands, none of which has to march twice.
As for being the first in the nation, according to organizers and SaintPatricksDayParade.com, which lists parades around the world, that's another story, Troy said. It's all about talent and timing.
New York has a lock on the actual St. Patrick's Day, so that's out. The District's parade is the weekend before the holiday, so Alexandria takes its turn two weeks early.
"We want them to come out and enjoy ours," Troy said, "and we want to enjoy theirs.''
Other parades yesterday in New Jersey and Queens, N.Y., were scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. Alexandria's began at noon.
"Alexandria is a unique city and is proud of being first," said city Mayor William Euille, who gets the timing question often this time of year.
Yesterday's parade featured Irish dancers, police motorcyclists, firefighters, bands, dogs and others with more tangential ties to St. Patrick's Day. One set dressed as Darth Vader and Imperial storm troopers.
"We're just a bunch of Star Wars enthusiasts," Jim Miller of Oakton said.
Okay.
Another group marched to protest a nearby Mirant power plant. What does an environmental protest have to do with St. Patrick's Day?
"Why not? It's green," said Andrea Grimaldi of Alexandria, who was wearing faux coal dust on her face.
The air rang with sounds from the District Fire Department's Emerald Society Pipe and Drums playing "When the Saints Go Marching In" and from the MacMillan Pipe Band from Gaithersburg.
"This is the kickoff of the St. Patrick's Day season," said Brian Brendel, drum major and president of the Northern Virginia Firefighters' Emerald Society Pipe Band.
After more than a quarter-century, Troy hasn't lost his touch when it comes to promoting his parade, even if it means a bit of blarney.
He estimated yesterday's crowd at more than 100,000.
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