The luck of the Irish was with the St. Patrick’s day parade on Saturday as the sky was clear and the air balmy. Grand marshal John Murray and his assistant Ryan Murray led the shortest parade on the Vineyard, currently in its fifth year.
Susan Pratt was decked out in full rainbow regalia, with a dish of sparkling gold buttons.
“There’s a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. This is the rainbow” she said, snapping her suspenders. Eight-year-old Nova Smith carefully selected a button.
“Look at my gold,” she exclaimed.
Workers from the Newes from America and the Kelley House handed out candy, saving enough to throw to the small crowds gathered along the parade route. The Kelley family, the last descendents from William and Elizabeth Kelley who opened the Kelley House, pulled the giant wooden nickel float in the parade. They have made the trip down from Grafton every year for the parade.
“The staff at the Kelley House makes us feel like family,” said Lisa Kelley. “We try to come as often as we can.”
A small dog named Rolo, looking festive with a green bow, has also been coming to the parade for several years. He has lost his sight, but he still likes the atmosphere, said Lisa Reindorf and Mitchell Goldman. Last year, Ms. Reindorf won the limerick contest after the parade, but she did not enter this year.
“I think I only have one limerick in me,” she said with a laugh.
Mother-son team Mary and Mattie Wolverton marched in the parade and then played the fiddle at the Newes, where Chef Doug Sabin had been working on the corn beef and cabbage for three days.
“We have about 70 orders,” he said. “And we’re doing it again on Thursday.”
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