Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - It's the weekend that everyone in the City of Buffalo is a wee bit Irish!
St. Patrick's Day falls on Sunday this year, but the first event to get the weekend started is the Old Neighborhood parade in Buffalo's Old First Ward.
The parade kicks off at noon on Saturday at the Valley Community Center at Leddy St. and South Park Avenue. It's always referred to as the smaller parade, but it's not small.
"It's not small at all," said Denise Pikuzinski, Executive Director of the
Valley Center. "We have about 95 contingents in the parade; everyone from the police and sheriff, to Iron Workers and marching bands."
Sunday is Buffalo's big St. Patrick's Day parade on Delaware Avenue. Pikuzinski said the neighborhood parade does not try to compete with the big one, it complements it.
"The whole weekend is spent celebrating our Irish heritage. Some of the floats are in both parades," she added.
After the parade, everyone is invited for hooley. "Hooley is an Irish party. We have an Irish band, the Reardon and Garvey Band from 1pm - 5pm. We're going to have corned beef sandwiches, Irish potatoes and a lot of fun for everyone."
The Irish heritage in the Old First Ward is strong and people are proud. "They love their neighborhood and want to keep it alive," she said.
Between 10:30am and 2pm, traffic will be shut down on South Park Avenue, Smith, Elk and Hamburg and South Streets.
Sharon Grande is this year's Neighborhood parade Grand Marshal. "I'm honored and proud," she said at an Irish flag raising ceremony in Niagara Square this week.
