Ocean City St. Patrick's Day Parade: 'It's the start of the season'

It may have been gray and cold Saturday in Ocean City, but there was a sea of green along the southbound side of Coastal Highway and a sense of merriment that could have warmed any heart.

It was the Delmarva-Irish American Club's 39th annual Ocean City St. Patrick's Day parade, and people from across the mid-Atlantic were out in full force.

"We love it," said Jennifer Brillhart, 62, of Ocean Pines. "It's so much fun, and I love looking at all the people, which is great."

Brillhart comes to the parade every year, she said, and they always dress up in some sort of costume.

Every year at the parade, she said, she runs into people she hasn't seen since the previous year, creating a homecoming of sorts for Ocean City.

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"It's a great way to get people out, enjoy the city and know what's here," she said. "We know what's here, we've been here. But it's a lot of fun."

This year, paradegoers got to see bagpipes and drums, bands, firetrucks and plenty of candidates for office tossing green saltwater taffy into the crowd.

With Brillhart was Amy McLaughlin, 51, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

The parade creates a melting pot of people, all in town to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, she said, and she comes every year to see it.

"We absolutely love it," she said. "All the people. I like to see everybody's costume and like to participate in the costumes. Everybody is just happy."

"It's the start of the season."

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