Coming Friday, March 15- Old Forge St. Patrick’s Parade: Sen. Seward to be grand marshal

Chip Kiefer and Tim Foley gearing up for St. Patty's Day. Photo by Wende Carr

Chip Kiefer and Tim Foley gearing up for St. Patty’s Day. Photo by Wende Carr

The Old Forge St. Patrick’s Day Parade, the biggest parade of its kind in the Adirondacks, will be held on Friday, March 15.

Parade co-chairmen Tim Foley and Chip Kiefer are anticipating a record crowd of participants and spectators this year following the feature article on the iconic parade that appeared in the current (April) issue of Adirondack Life magazine.

The article, written by the magazine’s creative director, Betsy Folwell, is accompanied by photos of parade floats from 2012, and a full page picture of perennial marchers Old Forge resident Pat “St. Patricia” Manion and Assemblyman Marc Butler.

Assemblyman Butler will return again this year along with other local politicians including Senator Hugh Farley, who, following last year’s redistricting, now represents  this part of the Adirondacks.

Also in attendance will be Senator James Seward who will serve as this year’s parade marshal. 

In recent years, Senator Seward, the longtime area representative, has marched along the parade route with Assem-blyman Butler and members of the Herkimer County Legislature.

“Senator Seward has represented our area so well, that it just seemed appropriate to ask him to join the list of distinguished Grand Marshals who have led our fine parade in past years. Plus, we will have the opportunity to break-in our new Senate representative, Senator Farley, by showing him our local Irish spirit,” Foley said.

As in the past, anyone wishing to participate in the parade can start lining up at Keyes Pancake House at 4:30 p.m.

Following a blessing, the parade will commence up Main Street at 5 p.m. where the parade floats will be assessed by a secret panel of judges near the busy corner.

The parade will end at the Old Forge Fire Department where the annual Irish Stew Cook-Off will be held.

The Cook-off is open to local restaurants and will be judged by the public following sampling. Irish stew entries should be dropped off at the Old Forge Fire Hall by 4 p.m. on Friday.

Parade winners and the winner of the MAC’s Safe Ride 50/50 raffle will be announced at the TOW Bar between 7 and 7:30 p.m.

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