Saturday, March 17, The 19th annual St. Patrick’s Day parade on Orcas Island will be on Saturday, March 17 at 11:30 a.m. starting in the Island Market parking lot.

It started in 2000 when Mike Lawless and Tony Lee decided to march up Prune Alley carrying the American flag and the Irish Republican flag.

“We were accompanied by three dogs and a soft drizzle. We ended up at the Lower Tavern where Magic Mike was serving green beer. We ordered Guinness. For Irish whiskey we went to the Bungalow where Barb Huggins had Murphy’s Irish whiskey on tap. We walked out of the Bungalow – kidding,” said Lee.

Each year since then the parade has grown in length and frivolity. Ian Lister has played the pipes, Ethna Flanagan beat the bodran and Island hardware’s flatbed truck carried the Irish band led by Ken Speck. Jim Hamilton always brings a classic car or two.

Everyone is welcome: those who are Irish, wish to be Irish and grateful not to be Irish. Larry Hampel will be the Grand Marshal.