YARMOUTH –Cape Cod will officially kick off the St. Patrick’s Day festivities early this year when the 12th annual Cape Cod St. Pat’s Parade rolls through Yarmouth Saturday, despite chilly conditions forecast for the region this weekend.
The annual parade begins at 11 a.m. and features dozens of marching bands, floats, Irish Step Dancers, antique cars and family entertainment.
New England Patriots special teamer Brandon King will serve as the grand marshal.
Friday morning, forecasters were predicting sunny, but windy and chilly conditions for Saturday, with a high of 25 and winds 15-45 miles per hour.
Among the bands performing are the Boston Police Gaelic Column, New York City Police Department Emerald Society Pipes and Drums and the James Connolly Flute Band from Scotland.
Parade Co-Chair John Fallon believes that the event is boost for the local economy.
“It’s things like this that help local businesses at a time when normally there wouldn’t be anybody down here that weekend,” said Fallon. “You wouldn’t have a lot of tourism down here, but now we’re hoping to have 30-40,000 people.”
The route begins at Bass River Sports World at the intersection of Long Pond Drive and Route 28 in South Yarmouth and follows Route 28 west over the Parker’s River Bridge.
The two-mile route will end at the Town ‘n Country Motel.
“Come and celebrate your Irish heritage, but you know what, in addition to that it’s the celebration of Spring and it’s always been the Cape Cod St. Patrick’s Parade,” said Fallon. “We always have felt that this is Cape Cod’s parade.”
The celebration continues after the parade at dozens of restaurants and establishments throughout the town with complimentary trollies running up and down Route 28 from 3-7 p.m.
By JUSTIN SAUNDERS, CapeCod.com Newscenter
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