Jaffrey turns the town green for its third annual St. Patrick’s Day festival – The Union Leader

The Jaffrey St. Patricks Day Parade is ready to turn the streets of town green for a third time on Sunday. The parade steps off at 2 p.m. in front of St. Patrick Parish, and the parade will move east along Main Street to Jaffreys downtown.

There will be six marching bands, four parades floats and an Irish dancing presentation by Jaffrey Grade School students.

The police and fire departments of Jaffrey will also be part of the parade. The Flying Irish Dancers of Ashby, Mass., will perform at the gazebo on the Jaffrey Park common.

For the first time, the Knights of Columbus will carry on their shoulders the official 3-foot statue of parade namesake, Saint Patrick. The parades Grand Marshall is Jimmy Quinn, of Donegals, who has been grand marshal since the first parade.

The town and surrounding communities have given resounding support for the parade.

More than 50 sponsors signed on to sponsor this years parade, including, WKNE radio, the official media sponsor.

The parade organizers are offering a $100 prize for both Best Float and Best Store Window. Local area restaurants (The Monadnock Inn, Monadnock Country Cafe, Sunflowers Caf, Cafe 532, Jaffrey American Legion, Emmas 321) have joined the fun, adding traditional Irish menu items to their menus.

Before and during the parade the Park Theatre will be selling hot dogs with toppings, sodas, chips and hot coffee at a Main Street booth in the alley between the new there and the Sunflowers Caf building. The 99 Restaurant & Pub and Coca-Cola donated food and beverages.

To help set the mood for the weekend, the Kelly Girls, a Celtic band, will perform at the American Legion, 20 Webster St. at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $20.

Chef Mike Gallagher will be serving traditional Irish favorites corned beff and cabbage and bangers and mash. Each entree is $10. There also will be a cash bar.

In addition, a screening of Riverdance Irish dance troupe in performance at the 3Arena in Dublin will be screened at the Jaffrey Womens Club, 33 Main St., at 3 p.m. Sunday, right after the parade. Tickets are $10 to $15.

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Jaffrey turns the town green for its third annual St. Patrick's Day festival - The Union Leader