It takes more than the luck of the Irish to hold a successful St. Patrick Day’s Parade in Alexandria.
When the 38th annual parade kicks off on March 2, it will feature more than 100 bagpipers as well as an array of classic cars, dogs, dignitaries and local organizations proudly wearing green. The event is possible thanks to the Ballyshaners, a local organization dedicated to promoting and preserving Old Town’s Irish history.
St. Patrick
The all-volunteer, non-profit group was founded in 1980 with the explicit purpose of organizing a St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Old Town, and in fact, Ballyshaners is Gaelic for “Old Towners.” Old Town’s Irish history dates back to the Revolutionary War and Colonel John Fitzgerald, who emigrated from Ireland in 1769 and later ran a mercantile business in Alexandria. Fitzgerald was a major in the 3rd Virginia Regiment in 1776 and joined Washington’s staff as an aide-de-camp.
The first St. Patrick’s Day parade was held in 1981. Since then, it has grown to include a festival as well as a dog show and a car show. “In the very early days, the parade route was quite short; only a few blocks,” said Kim Moore, Ballyshaners chairman. “Now, it spans a much larger portion of King Street.” To hold the parade, the Ballyshaners must raise about $50,000 to cover costs, Moore said.
In addition to corporate sponsors, the Ballyshaners rely on personal donations, both large and small. The City of Alexandria also supports the event through the participation of its police and sheriff departments and by providing resources including a mobile stage, parade permits and the use of Market Square, at 301 King Street, for the dog show, Moore said. The city also shares half the cost of the police and public safety expenses.
“We bring thousands of people into Old Town with the parade,” Moore said. “Many restaurants say that parade day is their busiest day of the year.” While the Ballyshaners are happy to show off Old Town to new visitors, they’re most proud of sponsoring a family-friendly event. “St. Patrick’s Day is often an adult day,” said 2018 Parade Captain John Bryk. “But we have the parade the first weekend in March and it’s a big family thing. It was designed that way from the beginning, to be one of the big community draws in Old Town.”
Bryk has been parade captain for several years and he’s been march-ing in the parade since 2006. As captain, his job has been to ensure that spectators lined up along King Street are entertained — and stay safe. For instance, Bryk makes sure that no one accidentally walks in front of a fire truck or gets in the way of the nearly dozen bright orange Kena 500 mini-Corvettes driven in formation by the Shriners.
Bryk also determines the parade’s timing and flow. He said it’s best not to mix dogs and horses, and nervous terriers don’t do well marching behind bagpipers. Bryk also makes sure any children marching appear in the parade early so they can watch the last half of the parade with their parents.
For more information on the parade, go to www.ballyshaners.org.
This article originally appeared in the January/February 2019 print edition of Alexandria Living Magazine. To subscribe, click here.
