St.Patricks Parade Fundraiser

[Zardoz]

Last weekend,(2/5) we had a little Irish stew cookoff to raise some funds for our St.Patricks parade commision. We had a lovely day for it, the first day in a week that was not freezing and cloudy! I stayed pretty busy sampling stew, drinking and listening to music, but I got a couple photos...

(warning, this post contains flatcaps) !



Here's something a little different; the Houston Fire Dept pipe band's new "pub uniform" kilts complete with reflective safety stripe!


Here's the always well turned out Jack Daw, myself and my good friend Paddy Devlin from the Irish band The Blaggards.


I ran into my cousin and her new boyfriend.


Hey, can I take y'alls picture?


And x marker Triolamj joins us for one of the photo ops with another "hey can I take your picture" lady

[Tartan Tess]

Your cousins boyfriend is "In like Flynn"
I like the safety tape
Nice kilt Zardoz

[KiltedDixon]

Great pics. I hope the fundraiser was successful.

[piperdbh]

You weren't kidding about the flat caps!

Tell us a little more about the parade commission. Is the parade a big event? Who won the cook-off?

I like your pictures, by the way, especially the ones with Jack Daw in sunglasses.

[Jock Scot]

Great pictures apart from those-----------.Nice tie Mr. JD.

[cessna152towser]

Excellent pics.
I really like those blue kilts with the safety stripe, though it does look slightly unusual to see a contemporary kilt worn with a sporran.

[robbiethepiper]

Recently saw a news clip of the Kings Own Scottish Borderers wearing their issue Tams pulled forward so they looked like flat caps. Military fashion? It was an official parade so I guess their officers must have been turning a blind eye?

[Jock Scot]

Recently saw a news clip of the Kings Own Scottish Borderers wearing their issue Tams pulled forward so they looked like flat caps. Military fashion? It was an official parade so I guess their officers must have been turning a blind eye?

I did not serve in a Scots Regiment, but as I understand it, how you describe the Tams being worn is the military way. Which, I suppose, has little to do with civilian wear and absolutely nothing to do with that dreadful practice of wearing flat caps with the kilt!

Jock now dives swiftly for cover!

[Zardoz]

You weren't kidding about the flat caps!

Tell us a little more about the parade commission. Is the parade a big event? Who won the cook-off?

I like your pictures, by the way, especially the ones with Jack Daw in sunglasses.

Our St.Patrick's Day Parade is rooted in the city's heritage. The first parades date back to the 1880's when they started in "Irish Town" by old St. Patrick's Church, which was located on Harrisburg Ave.in "old Houston" Flags, bands and marchers would march to Market Square for a day of fun, games, music, food and drink.

The Houston St. Patrick's Parade Commission and the modern incarnation of the parade started about 50 years ago. Our event has historically been one of the largest parades of its kind in the U.S., with usually over 125 entries with everything from dance groups and bands to dog and car clubs. We do not do much of the whole "corporate sponsor" thing, so the fundraisers are a big part of the event.

The downside of not having corporate sponsorship is that the local news media doesn't pay much attention to us, like they would if some of their advertisers had their names on the event. I write emails to the news channels and newspaper ever year, basically demanding that they devote as much coverage to the St.Patrick's parade as they do some of the other "cultural events" like art cars and cinco de mayo.

I didn't see the awards, so not sure who won. And I have not seen the dollar numbers yet, but it was a really good crowd, so I think it was a pretty successful event.

[The Barry]

I like the new FD uniforms with the safety stripe. What a great idea!