St. Patrick’s events reset for October

HOT SPRINGS — Celebrity guests Cheech Marin, Danny Trejo, Foghat and Blues Traveler, who had been scheduled for the First Ever 17th Annual World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade, have all signed back on to appear at the parade’s second go-round scheduled for Oct. 16 and 17.

Marin was already lined up as celebrity grand marshal, and Trejo as the official parade starter, with Blues Traveler and Foghat as its live performances, when the parade was canceled due to the rapidly escalating covid-19 crisis in Arkansas.

Marin and Trejo have now agreed to appear in what is now officially being called the First Ever Second 17th Annual World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Oct. 17, followed by a free public concert by Blues Traveler. Foghat will perform a free public concert the night before on Oct. 16. All festivities will be held on Bridge Street, located in downtown Hot Springs.

“We are pleased and grateful that these folks were understanding about our decision to postpone the scheduled March 16 and 17 events and have expressed their commitment to come to Hot Springs in October for the rescheduled parade,” Visit Hot Springs CEO Steve Arrison said in a news release.

The original March 17 parade was canceled due to the covid-19 virus pandemic.

“While we will, of course, be guided by public-health guidelines as set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Gov. Asa Hutchinson, we fully intend for the October version of our huge little parade to be every bit as big, exciting, crazy and fun as the first 16 parades were,” Arrison said in the release. “It will be the party of the year, maybe of the decade.”

The second 17th annual parade, which is becoming known as “Shamrocktober” on social media, can be followed on Instagram or Facebook @shorteststpats for updates.