The St. Patrick's Day Parade marching up New York's Fifth Avenue, known as the "Green Mile" on March 17, looked amazing back in 1960.
The video from Onyx Media shows a very wet-looking St. Patrick's Day parade amid rain and just after a snowfall. Typical March weather. Despite the inclement weather crowds of smiling Irish and those who love the Irish turned out on the "Green Mile" to celebrate Ireland's patron saint's day.
As the bagpipers' march by the video shows the exterior of St. Patrick's Cathedral where Cardinal Francis Spellman gives his blessing to the parade. It goes on to show majorettes in the parade and film crews and members of the media on the roof of buildings filming the parade. One poor man's job on that particular St. Patrick's Day was to sweep the rain away!
The video ends with a shot of the parade box by Central Park where the Mayor of New York Robert F. Wagner Jr. and the first female lord mayor of Cork, Lady Lord Mayor Jane Dowdall watch on.
The history of NYC St. Patrick's Day parade
The New York St. Patrick's Day Parade is the largest St. Patrick's Day parade in the world, with over 150,000 participants and millions of spectators. The parade has been held annually in New York City since 1762, making it one of the oldest parades in the world.
The parade was first organized by a group of Irish soldiers serving in the British Army who were stationed in New York City. The soldiers decided to organize a parade to celebrate their Irish heritage and to honor St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. The first parade was a small procession of Irish soldiers who marched through the streets of New York City on March 17, 1762.
Over the years, the parade grew in size and popularity. In the mid-19th century, the parade began to include Irish immigrant groups, who marched to celebrate their cultural heritage and to demonstrate their pride in being Irish. Today, the parade is a celebration of Irish culture and heritage, with participants from all walks of life.
One of the most notable features of the New York St. Patrick's Day Parade is its Grand Marshal. The Grand Marshal is a prominent figure in the Irish-American community who is chosen to lead the parade. The first Grand Marshal was appointed in 1851, and since then, the position has been held by many famous Irish Americans, including politicians, actors, and athletes.
The parade route begins at 44th Street and Fifth Avenue and ends at 79th Street. The parade lasts for several hours and features a variety of floats, bands, and marchers. Many of the participants wear traditional Irish costumes or green clothing to show their Irish pride.
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