“It looks as though the sun is going to shine on the Irish tomorrow,” said Sue Gilmore, Grand Marshal for Saturday’s parade.
Peggy O’Brien, coordinator for the parade, hosted by Waterbury Friends of the Hibernians, said no matter the forecast, Saturday’s celebration will go on.
“We’ll have our big ceremony inside because it’s big enough to hold a lot of people, and then we’ll raise a flag outside, weather or not, and then we’ll come back here and do all our festivities here,” O’Brien said.
The parade begins at the Washington Park House at 1 p.m., winding its way through town before ending at Waterbury’s Ancient Order of Hibernians.
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“At one point, there were many many AOH’s here in Waterbury,” said day-off coordinator Ray Work. “We’re down to just one now, but there’s still a tremendous amount of Irish pride within the community.”
Work said over 30 groups will take part, from the Mattatuck Fife and Drum Core to Miss Connecticut, and of course the Grand Marshal.
“Let the shenanigans begin, that’s what it means,” Gilmore said.
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Gilmore said she’s missed just one parade since 1992. This year, she has no intention of letting an uncertain forecast spoil the day.
“There’s just something about Waterbury and all these close-knit groups that are together like the AOH, it just brings people together no matter who they are,” Gilmore said.
