First St Patrick St Joseph Parade Founded In Cedar Rapids
In 1976 Cedar Rapids launched its annual St Patrick Day parade sparked by WMT radio DJ Dick Hardiman. The first procession began March 11 with a one to two block route on First Avenue and a 1 30 start, featuring a green clad parade with a driverless cart and a diverse band.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cedar Rapids
St. Patrick
Dick Hardiman
WMT
Hardiman
First Avenue
Second Street
Third Avenue
Eastern Iowa parade features Irish theme and large crowd
A two-block parade in Eastern Iowa showcased Irish motifs led by a bass drummer and a spoon player. The march included a bottomless float with David Bolt in Mickey Mouse ears on accordion, a Ted's Happitime pub float, goats, dogs, pigs, and a donkey. Mayor Don Canney estimated 5 000 to 6 000 attendees as an unprecedented crowd.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
David Bolt
Mickey Mouse
Ted Mahoney
Ted’s Happitime
Cedar Rapids St Patrick Parade A 1904 Minstrels Tie
The Cedar Rapids parade history notes Al Field’s Greater Minstrels marching in 1904, blocking a train for 15 minutes, and the 1977 and 1978 observances led by SaPaDaPaSo and Jimmy Duggan. The annual March 17 event winds through downtown Cedar Rapids at 1 p.m. today with ongoing community support.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
St. Patrick’s Day
al. G. Field
Greater Minstrels
Greene’s Opera House
Cedar Rapids
Also Mentioned on This Page
Iowa
Lairicks
Diane Langton
the Gazette
Harian
Carl Connell
Fifth Street
Diane.langton
Sourcemedia.net
Ted
Mahoney
Fourth Street
St. Joseph’s Day
SaPaDaPaSo
Jimmy Duggan
Killarney
Tipperary
al G Field
Ireland
St. Patrick’s
Fairfax
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