In the world of St. Patrick's Day parades, there's very little new under the sun.
But sometimes just being under the sun is enough.
The annual Augusta St. Patrick's Day parade took place Friday afternoon, winding its way from the James Brown Arena, past the Grand Marshal's stand on the 700 block of Broad Street and back to its starting point. The event was led by the colors and the United States Army Signal Corps Band, followed by cars carrying the parade's Grand Marshal, Dennis Michael Leonard; the Irish-American Heritage Society's Lady of the Year, Marguerite Welch; Mayor Deke Copenhaver; and the Heritage Society's family of the year, the Douglas clan.
Standing opposite Augusta Common just before being overtaken by the incoming green tide, the Miller family, in from Lincoln County, staked claim on a prime piece of sidewalk.
Eric Miller said the appeal of trucking his wife and four children into Augusta for the afternoon officially shakes off winter.
"It kind of gets spring going," he said. "We can come down, have some hot dogs and settle here together."
After taking his place in the marshal's stand, Mr. Leonard said being asked to serve as the parade figurehead was a singular event in his life.
"Being an Irish Catholic, this is a real honor," he said. "My father was the Grand Marshal of this parade and my mother the first Irish Lady."
Watching quietly as the floats bearing familial names filed past, Ms. Welch smiled and echoed the sentiment.
"That's it," she said. "It's an honor."
Reach Steven Uhles at (706) 823-3626 or steven.uhles@augustachronicle.com.
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