St. Patrick's Day Parade marches into 25th year

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade signals the arrival of spring and celebrates the heritage of Irish descendents. It’s an opportunity for revelers to enjoy music and have fun on the one day when everyone can be Irish.
It also brings customers to the retail, dining and entertainment venues located at the center of Springfield – just as its founders intended 25 years ago.
The parade is organized by the St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee, a group of about 10 local business people who volunteer their time.
While no one wears a title, most members point to Corner Printing’s Pat Flanigan as the man in charge. Flanigan said that hundreds of hours are donated to prepare for the parade, which costs between $4,000 and $5,000 to put on.
There is no fee to participate; all funding for the event comes from donations and fund-raisers.
Jeff Schrag, owner and publisher of downtown-based Daily Events, has donated to the parade for the past few years without expectations of a direct return on investment to his public records newspaper.
“I see it as being a good corporate citizen,” Schrag said. “I don’t see a direct benefit to my business; it benefits downtown.”
Advertising and sponsorship revenues pay for approximately three quarters of the cost, with donations covering the rest. This year is the third time the committee has sold advertising space in the parade program to help raise funds, Flanigan said. In the past, the committee also has held benefit concerts and sold T-shirts and posters.
“The biggest moneymakers were the benefit concerts, and in the early years, we were sponsored by liquor distributors,” Flanigan said.

Anniversary edition
This year’s parade begins at 11:30 a.m. March 19 with a performance by the Hooliegans on Springfield’s public square. After the parade, there will be an award ceremony and concert by this year’s parade Grand Marshals, The Garbanzos, who marched in the first St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 1980. Another performance by the Hooliegans will follow, and the party will continue “until they kick us out,” Flanigan said.
The ceremony and concert will be held at Patton Alley Pub, 313 S. Patton Ave.
“We definitely have a classic pub feel – though we’re not necessarily an Irish pub. We thought it would be fun to be Irish for the night,” said Eric Zackrison, Patton Alley Pub owner.
Zackrison has planned Irish food and drink specials for the entire week leading up to Saturday night. Specials include corned beef and cabbage, lamb stew and Irish soda bread.
Parade organizers anticipate more than 100 entries for the parade. There were 43 entries as of March 1, including the Carting Dogs of the Ozarks, Faith Tabernacle Church and the Southwest Missouri Herpetological Society, Flanigan said. Entries will be accepted up to the day of the event.

Foot traffic
Zackrison is not the only local business owner to expect increased business. Managers at Gailey’s Breakfast Café, 220 E. Walnut St., and Roly Poly Sandwiches, 400 South Ave., have scheduled additional staff in preparation of a busy day.
“I would expect that due to the parade, especially because it’s during the day, we would take in some more business,” said Michelle Stallcup, assistant manager of Gailey’s Breakfast Café.
Cathey Brown, owner of Downtown Ms. Brown’s on Walnut and Ms. Brown’s on Grand, is marching in the parade.
“I’ve wanted to be in the parade every year, but now that I’m downtown, I thought it was imperative to do it,” said Brown, who sells women’s clothing.
Brown has rented a convertible and will hang a banner advertising an upcoming fashion show on the side of the car. Brown, along with two others, will hand out candy, beads, and coupons for 20 percent off party dresses.

Baby steps
Dave Trippe and Brian Weekes founded the parade to coincide with the grand opening of their Buffalo Bar on Commercial Street.
“It was part of a revitalization effort,” Trippe said, adding that others, including Ray Jones of Downtown Springfield Association, were involved after that first year.
In those early days, the parade started at the square and ended on Commercial Street. As the square began to flourish again, the direction of the parade changed. This year’s parade route, which remains relatively consistent with previous years, will begin on Commercial Street, move up Boonville, circle Park Central Square and disband at the parking lots west of the bus transfer station on Park Central West.
Another noticeable shift – and shift back – over the years is in the organizations that claim ownership of the event. In 2003 and 2004, the Downtown Dining and Entertainment Commission took organizing responsibilities. This year, the job is back in the hands of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee.
“As an organization, we decided that the man-hours and costs incurred while organizing the parade have grown larger than we are capable of donating,” said Cip Traub, DDEC executive director.
While financing the event seems to always be on the committee members’ minds, their focus is on fun.
“Winter’s over, March is in full bloom, so put on your green hat and walk in the parade … bring your kids, and instead of watching the parade, be in it,” said Bob McCroskey, a committee member.
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