OCEAN CITY, Md. - For the second time since years of weather and pandemic-related cancellations, the 2024 edition of the Ocean City St. Patrick's Day Parade is attracting thousands of Irish and Irish-at-heart to Maryland's ocean playground.
Excitement was high for last year's parade.
"People were just anxious to get back into it," said Buck Mann, chairman of the St. Patrick's Day parade. "It was a little cold and breezy, and that's why I think this year's going to be unbelievable."
With mild temperatures expected on the coast, excitement is even higher this year, especially among the business community.
"This year we're expecting big things with the weather cooperating, so that's a change," said Scott Hands, a manager at Bull on the Beach. "It's nice to get back to normal. We're expecting big things."
But the parade and associated festivities are about more than just greenbacks.
Darlene McClintock of Berkeley Springs, W. Va. came to the parade last year. She is back this year to see if she can match last year's performance.
"I wanted to see if I could hang with the kids," McClintock said. "I did it. We did a fourteen hour bar crawl. So this year, I have turned 70, I want to see if I can do it again!"
So why is a parade in Ocean City seemingly as big a deal as those in bigger cities?
"It's a small town America parade," said Christina Hubbard of Perry Hall, Md. "It's a parade where you can feel really connected to it. A lot of times you'll know someone that's walking in the parade, and it just makes you feel good. We love it."
The Ocean City St. Patrick's Day Parade begins at noon on Saturday, and runs from 59th Street to 45th Street, however organizers say best viewing of the parade will be below 57th Street.
They also recommend arriving early to avoid traffic and parking delays.