Green colors streets for St. Patrick’s Day

• By SONIA SMITH
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: Mar 16, 2008 - Page: 1B - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Most parade goers Saturday morning put on their favorite green T-shirt or muumuu before staking out a prime spot along the St. Patrick’s Day parade route.

Not Adam Piehler.

Piehler, 28, dressed with more flair, donning a green polyester bathrobe over pants and a white button-down shirt. He completed the look with a black bow tie.

Piehler had sneaked away from the party he was hosting at his house to watch the parade around the corner, on Perkins Road near Horace Street.  

“I wanted to be comfortable,” he said. “I wanted to come out, put on my green and support the parade.”

The U.S. Marine Corps Marching Band led the parade, and bands from several high schools, including St. Michael’s, Broadmoor and Baker, were dispersed throughout the procession of floats.

Mayor-President Kip Holden rode in style in a horse-drawn carriage and smiled as he tossed out beads.

Revelers lined the parade route, clamoring for trinkets and beads, plastic cups and the occasional stuffed animal.

Carla McNamee, 41, reached out to grab a stuffed banana from one of the floats before giving it to her twin daughters, Ally and C.C. Vickers.

The twins were raking in a large pile of loot by informing float riders it was their 10th birthday.

“I think it’s very fun that I get to catch things on my birthday. It’s like they’re throwing things for me,” C.C. said, before reaching out to grab a spear.

Most floats stuck with green or white beads for the March holiday, but others seemed to be recycling the more colorful Mardi Gras beads.

Leprechaun-themed floats abounded, including the Krewe of Cajun Leprechauns and the more perplexing “MexiChauns” float.
Bagpipers with the Celtic Society of Louisiana played their instruments while decked out in white tailcoats.