The annual St Patrick parade down Greenville Ave in Dallas is pretty close to being the Dallas version of Mardi Gras. There are floats and street performers tossing goodies and beads to the crowd. There are lots of Dallas tailgating which I've never seen in N'awlins. Lot's wake to the sun with a drink or 4 in their hands. Thus by parade time, it is a lively noisy crowd! It is very successful as it grows each year and I haven't seen a real snake on Greenville in YEARS!
This year's Grand Marshall was Burton Gilliam, a true Dallas Legend (If you don't know him, you probably have seen him on TV more than once. Amazing man and worth the Google search of the day.). (Plus he had a key role in one of my all time favorite movies!)
There were and always are lots of fun floats for the kids as well as some for the adults. Not giant ones like the Rose Parade or the Krewes of New Orleans. This year was no exception.
There were lots of options to meet the partying neighbors in the parking lots. Of course my drunken neighbor dancing in only a speedo on the top of a cooler had more beads tossed his way than anyone else, I am certain! My haul of beads, koozies, tortillas, Maverick basketballs, cards waiving the cover charge at gentlemen clubs, cards carrying invites to churches, cards asking me to vote for specific politicians, pizza slices (yes, thank you i fratelli's Pizza), and bags of peanuts from the Radha Kalachandji Hare Krishna Temple was HUGE this year! I do mean YUGE! Take that, Krewe of Rex!
I do get there early each year and try to snag a potta potti for the party hearty crowd. The local fast food and coffee joints make a killing, and their restrooms do get killed as well. One $80 payment from a man, 100 thankful bladders for mankind. (And a lot of saved steps for mankind as well.)
Come find me next year and we'll have a blast driving the snakes off Greenville! read more