Lineup announced for St. Pat’s parade
Visit Hot Springs has released the lineup for the First Ever 20th Annual World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade, a mix of new entries and longtime crowd favorites that includes floats, bands, dancers, strutters, leprechauns and “assorted wacky participants.”
The entry deadline for parade participants was Wednesday, but the lineup was filled ahead of the deadline, Alexis Hampo, special events manager for Visit Hot Springs, said in a news release.
“We have some really exciting entries this year,” Hampo said. “Some have been participating in the parade for years and others are brand new to Bridge Street. I am thrilled to see all the creative, green and St. Pat’sthemed floats and groups coming to celebrate the 20th year of our tiny and wonderful parade.”
New this year will be the Rusty Nail Line Dancers, a square dance group.
“We are very excited to be participating in the parade,” Tonja Bolding said in the release.
“Five of the dancers were in the parade approximately 10 years ago with our original teacher, who unfortunately is recovering from multiple strokes. We want to dedicate this experience and our performance to our beloved Jerri Hendrix Priddy. I now teach this class out of love, respect and admiration for her and everything she taught me.”
The Spa City St. Paddy Wagon, famous for throwing hamburgers to the crowd, is also returning.
“It has been a privilege to be a part of the annual World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The families on our float have gotten to see our children enjoy the tremendous thrill of tossing thousands of items and hundreds of hamburgers over the past five years to our wonderful community of Hot Springs,” Paddy Wagon’s Dennis P. Berry said in the release.
“We have gotten more thrills and great memories than we ever imagined, and we can’t wait to unveil the new Spa City St. Paddy Wagon.”
Perennial parade favorite the International Order of the Irish Elvi (Hot Springs Chapter), a group of Irish-themed Elvis impersonators, is also returning with “A Smorgasbord of Elvi.”
New entries include The Cousin O’Eddies, a tribute to the Randy Quaid character Cousin Eddie from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” with the Central High School Kiltie Drum and Bugle Corps from Springfield, Mo., an all-female kilt-wearing marching group that is the oldest such outfit in the nation.
The final lineup for the 20th Annual Parade, which will be held March 17 on Bridge Street, includes the following:
• Hot Springs Fire Department — ladder truck.
• Official Parade Starter — Actor Christopher McDonald, who portrayed Shooter McGavin in the movie “Happy Gilmore.”
• Alliance Rubber Company — Putting for the Green.
• Paddy Wagon — Spa City St. Paddy Wagon.
• Mountain Pine Pride of the Red Devils Marching Band.
• Chamber of Commerce — Shake your Shamrocks!
• “PAW Patrol” characters with FLW fishing legend Charlie Evans.
• Garvan Woodland Gardens — Dinky O’ Smartie, World’s Shortest Car.
• Rusty Nail Line Dancer — Lucky to be a Line Dancer.
• LakePointe City Church — Lucky Charms.
• St. Patrick’s Parade Royalty King John Homer Wright and Queen Minnie Lenox.
• The Cousin O’Eddies.
• Miss Arkansas.
• Theta Pi — Get to the Green in Small Town USA.
• The Grand Marshal — Country music star Justin Moore.
• The Traveling Sisters — Homegrown Country.
• Kangoo Club Hot Springs.
• Pocket Theatre — Green Eggs and Hamlet.
• Oaklawn Jockey Club — Oaklawn St. Patrick’s Day Float.
• Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
• Hurst Concrete — The Lucky Leprechauns.
• Hillstead.
• Betty’s Big Country Dance Hall — Betty’s Big Pot of Gold Dancers.
• Gates Family Entertainment — Laugardagr for the Crew.
• Springfield, Missouri, Central High School Kiltie Drum and Bugle Corps.
• Boogies Bar & Grill — The Late Night Leprechauns.
• Riser Ford — World Championship Bathtub Racing Champions.
• International Order of Irish Elvi (Hot Springs Chapter) — A Smorgasbord of Elvi.
• Lakeside Walk-In Clinic/Aliia’s Vanity Room — KISS ME … it’s Filler.
• Splash Wine Bar & Plenty Mystic Unveiled Dance Troup — Stay Calm Irish Dancers Gone Wild.
• World’s Biggest Idaho Potato on Wheels. A free public concert will be held on the Bridge Street Stage immediately following the parade by The Molly Ringwalds.
On Saturday, March 18, the Second Ever Zero-K World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Footrace, starting on Bridge Street and going 299 feet to O’Kelley’s World’s Biggest Inflatable Irish Pub across the street, will be held in the afternoon, followed by a free public concert on the Bridge Street Stage by the 1970s band Village People in the evening.