St. Patrick's parade will soon be on the march in Goshen

Why did the leprechaun cross the street? That’s easy — to get to the pot of gold!

Keep your eyes open, since those mischievous leprechauns just might be a common sight in Goshen, as it’s time again for the Orange County Mid-Hudson St. Patrick’s Day Parade. It’s the 18th year for Goshen to host this rousing march, with a proud Irish flair, down Main Street.

“I’m looking forward to the annual parade, I’m hoping for good weather and a good crowd,” said Village of Goshen Mayor Mike Nuzzolese. “We get to see everyone we haven’t seen all winter. It’s something to look forward to. It’s a great event for people, great for Goshen, especially when we have good weather and a big crowd.”

The Orange County Mid-Hudson St. Patrick’s Day Parade is happening on Sunday, March 15, beginning at 2 p.m. from the Orange County Government Center. Kevin R. Cummings is the Grand Marshal.

Middletown hosted the first parade in 1976. And then to share the parade, it moved around the county, going from Monroe, to Greenwood Lake, Chester, Montgomery, Cornwall, and Highland Falls. This year marks the 44th annual parade.

History and legend

St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was born in the late fourth century in Great Britain when it was governed by the Roman Empire. At age 16, he was kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave. After escaping, he returned to Ireland to convert the Irish to Christianity, and he established holy places of worship and schools.

Myths and history have contributed to the appeal of the patron saint, such as driving the snakes out of Ireland, using the shamrock — the three leaflets bound by a common stalk (the wood sorrel) — as a symbol of the Trinity, representing the Christian Church.

Corned beef and cabbage is the food of choice for this day. Beef wasn’t readily available in Ireland, but when the Irish immigrated to America, they found beef more plentiful than the ham and bacon that they ate in their homeland. So corned beef, cabbage, carrots, sometimes turnips and potatoes came to represent the Irish diet, along with Irish soda bread.

Maybe this will be the year that some “lucky” parade watcher will spot the folklore legend — a bearded gnome, wearing a green coat and hat, sporting a mischievous grin — that entices him or her to find a pot of gold! Just a word of caution: Since the leprechaun is known for his mischief making, be sure to look both ways — especially if your eyes are drawn upward towards admiring a rainbow in the sky — before crossing the street to get to the other side.