By Paula Green

“I Love a Parade!”  No wonder.  This spectator event generates so much excitement.  Parades are held for a variety of reasons but they usually are held in celebration of some thing.

This month, numerous U.S. cities will feature St. Patrick’s Day parades.  The first one took place not in Ireland but in the United States.  Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City on March 17, 1762.  The parade helped the soldiers to reconnect with their Irish roots.

In 1848, several New York Irish aid societies decided to unite their individual parades to form one New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Today, that parade is the world’s oldest civilian parade and the largest in the U.S. with over 150,000 participants.

Pittsburgh also holds an annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which dates back to 1869.  This year’s “big green event” will be held at 10 a.m., on Saturday, March 15.

Parades are held throughout the year.  New Year’s Day kicks off the parade year with the Rose Parade, which precedes the “Tournament of Roses” Rose Bowl, college football game.  Another New Year’s Day parade is the Mummers Parade in Philadelphia.  This parade traces its origins back to mid-17th century roots, blending elements from Swedish, Finnish, Irish, English, German and other European heritages as well as African-American heritage.

February marks Mardi Gras time.  This week-long celebration is held before Lent in New Orleans.  Grand parades are held back-to-back with the big finale taking place on Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras.

Springtime is a fun time in our nation’s capital.  The National Cherry Blossom Festival features a spectacular parade to celebrate the blooming of the cherry trees that grace the Washington area.  The parade begins along historic Constitution Avenue.

The summer season begins with Memorial Day, and often parades are held to honor our servicemen and women on that day.  On the fourth of July there are Independence Day parades.  Summer concludes with Labor Day parades on the first Monday in September.

Autumn boasts its share of parades with Columbus Day parades in October and ghosts, goblins and other zany costumes making appearances during Halloween parades.

In November we celebrate Thanksgiving, and the holiday morning begins with the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.  The main attraction is the parade’s giant helium balloons, many of which depict popular cartoon characters.  The balloons are created by the Macy’s Parade Studio, located in a former Tootsie Roll factory in Hoboken, New Jersey.

Next comes Christmas, which ushers in Santa Claus parades.  Another holiday tradition is The Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade.  This annual television special airs on Christmas Day. 

After processing through these annual celebrations, it’s time to march into some parade particulars and get a little trivial…

1. On what date did the “St. Patrick’s Day Parade Blizzard” in Pittsburgh occur?

2. Where is the Tournament of Roses parade held?

3. These are traditionally thrown from Mardi Gras floats and everyone likes to wear them.

4. This parade was held to celebrate the end of World War I and World War II.

5. Who was the female lead in the 1948 movie Easter Parade which also starred Fred Astaire?

6. The song “Seventy-six Trombones (In the Big Parade)” was featured in what movie?

7. What parade is also known as the “Super Holiday Parade?”

8. Name the parade that uses large amounts of shredded paper, which creates a snowstorm effect.

9. Which parade celebrates the discovery of the New World and our Italian-American heritage?

10. This parade has been nicknamed “The Granddaddy of Them All.”

11. Name the parade that began on January 1, 1901.

12. At one time this parade featured live animals from the Central Park Zoo.

13. A group listing of popular songs in known as a_______?

14. A formation of soldiers whose movement is restricted is called?

15. The musical group The Doors released this album in 1969.

Sources:

http://www.history.com/minisite

http://en.wikipedia.org

http://www.tournamentofroses.com/history

http://www.usatourist.com/english/evtns/calendar

html, http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com

http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org,

http://www.hotelbycity.net/events/usa/new-york/mew-york-city,

http://people.howstuffworks.com/macy’sthanksgiving-day-parade-htm

Answers:

1. March 13, 1993  2. Pasadena, California  3.  beads  4. Victory Day Parade  5.  Judy Garland  6.  The Music Man  7.  Orlando Citrus Parade  8.  Ticker-tape  9. Columbus Day Parade  10.  Rose Parade   11.  Mummers Parade  12.  Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade  13.  Hit Parade  14.  Military Parade  15. Soft Parade

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