Bagpipes echoed through downtown Pittsburgh on Saturday as groups of green-clad spectators lined the streets for the city’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, cheering as Irish dancers and floats in the region’s largest celebrations of Irish heritage.
The parade, organized by the Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day Parade committee, kicked off at the intersection of Liberty Avenue and 11th Street around 10 a.m.. led by a handful of motorcycle police.
Vicki Baumann, 60, and Neil Elliff, 57, of Sheraden, arrived downtown around 9 a.m. to scope out a spot to watch the parade. Baumann and Elliff positioned themselves right at the intersection in collapsible camping chairs.
Baumann has been coming to Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day Parade for more than 30 years. This year, one of her friends marched in the parade as a member of the Daughters of Erin, which is an Irish-American women’s organization established in 1956, according to the website.
“This is my holiday,” said Baumann, who is of Irish heritage.
Baumann is just one of about 1/5th of the Pittsburgh metropolitan community claiming Irish heritage, according to the Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day Parade website.
“Rain, hail, or even blizzard conditions cannot stop us from celebrating our Irish pride, especially when ‘everyone is Irish for the day,’” the parade website said.
The parade route continued on to Grant Street, where it turned right onto the Boulevard of the Allies and from there proceeded to Stanwix Street.
Numerous cars and floats went by from groups such as the Teamsters Local 249, The Barony-Marche of the Debatable Lands, Pittsburgh-based Celtic folk band Bealtaine and The Pittsburgh Steeline.
Finn the Irish Wolfhound gave children high-fives, and trees along the parade’s path already had green beads dangling from them within the first half-hour of the festivities.
With temperatures around 40 degrees, groups of onlookers stretched across the route, but often huddled into busier sections of the street where there were pockets of sunshine coming through the buildings.
Point Park University students Annie Harris, 22, and Mariana Sarmento, 21, walked from campus to watch the parade for the fourth year in a row. On Saturday, they were eagerly cheering from the sidewalk near The William S. Moorhead Federal Building.
“My favorite part is the Irish dancing girls. All four years — they’re killing it. They’re so happy to be here, and I like when they have their little outfits on,” said Sarmento, who does musical theater, herself. “They’re just so happy to perform.”
North Braddock resident Lola Defelippis, 13, was decked out for the event, sporting a green bob-cut wig.
Defelippis excitedly jumped in and out of line with the crowd, grabbing candy and beads tossed by parade marchers. Working alongside her was Calvin Schmidt, 13, from Shadyside, who said his favorite part of the parade was the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile.
Several high school marching bands performed, among them Allderdice, Mt. Lebanon and Seton LaSalle.
“Irish Santa” was in the parade, as well as several non-Irish themed groups, and the Easter Bunny.
Ross residents Erin Payer and Sarah Gravener, both 42, were there to see Gravener’s husband and son march as part of Cosplay for a Cause.
Gravener said the group dresses up as superheroes and different characters and does charity work. While Gravener’s family had not yet passed through the intersection of Liberty Avenue and 11th Street, she was on the lookout for parade participants dressed as Captain America and Thor.
Payer said the group parked about a five-minute walk away at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center before making their way over for the parade.
“It’s something to do and I’m Irish,” Payer said. “I might as well celebrate some heritage.”