Okay, so I decided to check out the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Seattle this year. I’ve lived here a while but, you know, life gets in the way, and I’d never actually gone.
First, I looked up the parade route online. Gotta know where to go, right? It’s usually downtown, along 4th Avenue, which makes sense – plenty of space.
Then I checked the weather. Seattle in March? It’s a gamble. Could be sunny, could be pouring rain. This year, it looked like it was gonna be chilly but mostly dry, so I layered up – sweater, jacket, the whole deal. No umbrella, though. I figured I’d brave it if it drizzled.
Next up, transportation. Driving downtown on parade day? No thanks. Parking would be a nightmare. So, I opted for the bus. Figured lots of other people would have the same idea, so I left my place extra early.
Good thing I did! The bus was packed, but I managed to squeeze in. Everyone was in a good mood, lots of green, some silly hats. It was already feeling festive.
I got off the bus a few blocks from the parade route and followed the crowds. You could hear the music and cheering before you could even see anything.
The Parade!
- Found a decent spot on the sidewalk. Not front row, but I could see pretty well.
- Watched all the floats go by. Lots of Irish dancers, bagpipers, and community groups.
- Cheered along with everyone else. It’s hard not to get caught up in the energy.
- Even saw some dogs in cute little green outfits!
After the parade, I wandered around a bit. The streets were still buzzing. I grabbed a corned beef sandwich from a street vendor – gotta have some traditional food, right? It was pretty tasty, actually.
Finally, I headed back to the bus stop, tired but happy. It was a fun day, a good way to experience a bit of Seattle’s community spirit. Definitely something I’ll do again next year, maybe even drag some friends along.
