Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church has been hosting their St. Patrick’s Day parade for 30 years, but Wednesday’s parade will mark the first time Taryne O’Bryan participates as a head director of the same event her grandmother started when O’Bryan was a kid.
O’Bryan said the plan is to keep things largely traditional for the parade, which will begin at 9 a.m. Wednesday. She was supposed to take over the event last year, but that parade was canceled due to COVID.
Keeping in line with tradition, the parade will take all the children in the school around the campus in green carts, giving the kids a chance to see the priests and someone dressed as St. Patrick. O’Bryan said they are expecting just under 50 children participating.
O’Bryan said the event has become a family tradition — it originated with her grandmother, and now O’Bryan’s own kids get to participate.
In addition to her own family, O’Bryan said it’s heartwarming to see the range of generations of other families that participate. Many parents come and wave at the kids as they go by, and they provide light St. Patrick’s Day-themed snacks and drinks.
“It’s really touching because a lot of parents are excited that we’re able to do a lot of our stuff again,” O’Bryan said.
