Utica follows Syracuse in selecting the date and March 9th was chosen and luckily the weather co-operated with this early date. It was sunny, dry, mild, and calm.
The Red Band had 22 marchers plus 1 Leprechaun that was decorating Paul Browne’s Sousaphone.
We were placed in the aptly named “Red Division” which was located towards the beginning of the parade.
The sidewalks along the line of march were packed right from our start at Oneida Square and they grew as we continued down Genesee St. They were 7 deep at the Stanley Theater where we marched along the Green line painted on the street in front of the reviewing stand.
The crowd was even larger on the sunny side of the street in front of the Radisson Hotel.
Everyone was wearing a touch of the green - most noticeable were the hats and headbands sporting glittering shamrocks bouncing on springs keeping time as we played MacNamara’s Band and When the Saints go Marching In.
The parade was extended an extra block in length this year ending at the Hotel Utica. Also there was a camera man located high above the reviewing stand in a cherry picker bucket (he had the best view) – and there was a giant Irish flag hanging over the road near the end of the parade route – a most welcome and festive sight.
"VIVA LA BANDA ROSSA"
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