A guy named Stefano Winkles marching with the McCormick Clan in the St. Patrick’s Day parade in St. Paul?
Well, yeah, and not because he looks the part, with a green and white sweater bedecked with shamrocks, dark green hat with red plaid stripes, and a tartan kilt.
“I’m freezing,” he said, taking another sip of something green.
Winkles is Irish on his mother’s side, his grandfather McCormick growing up on the northern end of the Emerald Isle.
“My grandfather said it’s not a kilt if you wear undies… it’s a dress!”
There was no comeback from that one, which Winkles picked up somewhere in the nearly 30 parades he’s attended on March 17.
And that was the extent of his wardrobe choice description.
There are more than 100 units in the parade, units as in families, bands, floats, and work groups.
“This is my first time marching, I’ve been a spectator many times with my kids,” said Bobby Wallace with the Heat and Frost Insulators number 34.
He really didn’t do much preparation for the parade.
“Just winging it,” he said. “My little legs go quick so we’ll get there.”
Lots of people have memories of bracing the chill on the sidewalk or dodging snowflakes along the route in past parades.
Not this year, with bright sunshine with a breeze, and the temperature flirting with 50 degrees.
“We did bring some blankets, just in case it’s a little cold,” said Gloria Holmberg. “But, at least it’s not below zero like some years.”
WCCO's Al Schoch has marched in dozens of parades but still has never worn a kilt.