Where we parked for St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
It was in the 40s Saturday in Syracuse for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
There was still plenty of snow hanging around. But that didn’t deter thousands of partying people. The 33rd edition of the event was the setting for my weekly community blog for Syracuse Public Media site waer.org. You can read my column by clicking the link below. There are many more pictures, too.
http://waer.org/post/syracuse-st-patricks-day-parade-one-more-step-toward-spring
Up on the roof with my dear wife Karen.
We saw snow up top in the parking garage, and on the rooftop of Merchant Commons as I shot down on the city.
At ground level, though, we saw people wearing green for the parade.
The big crowd enjoys the parade on March 15, 2015, in Syracuse, N.Y.
Kids were happy. Parents were thrilled. Then we got cold and went home. Monday morning, I saw a pedistrian-caught video of a fight later that afternoon a block from the parade route, posted on syracuse.com. The accompanying story said no arrests were made, but the battle was plenty ugly. Too bad yahoos had to linger and brawl. You can Google it if you wish, but I’m not going to put the link here. I don’t want to give the combatants any more publicity.
What are your trademark signs of spring where you live? Do you enjoy big crowds like this or stay away, and why? Would you shoot and post a fight on the street video or run the other way, and why?
Mark Bialczak 
No, I’d never video and post a fight. I think people suck sometimes. Why do they have to cause a ruckus or reward people causing the ruckus by giving them fame for fighting?
Kudos to you for not linking to it! 😀
LikeLike
I don’t blame the news site for posting it. That’s what they do. But the fighters suck, and the people who shot it instead of using the phone to dial 911 are a bit suspect … unless others were dialing the police, or the police were nearby, or the intent was to turn the video over. I can’t just blanketly throw those people under the bus, I guess, now that I think about it more.
LikeLike
Mark, the Phoenix parade consistently has gorgeous weather. The festival that follows is sweet. Everything is very tame, which is great for families. But is it weird to say that I miss some of the crazy connected to the Scranton St. Patrick’s Day parade of my youth?
Oh, we don’t do spring here. Just (mild) winter and (flaming hot) summer 😉
LikeLike
The Scranton/Syracuse crazy is very intoxicating, Angie McFly, right up to the point where the wahoos start fighting. I agree with you that too vanilla is kind of … dulllllllllll. And no spring is no fun, either, my friend, although the (mild) winter part of your sentence sent my blood racing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
If Dave and I ever head back to the area for the festivities, it would be a blast to get together. And I hated to mention our gorgeous weather but come August I won’t want to talk about weather at all!
LikeLike
Mention it all around. It makes me feel better knowing you’re warm and happy, Angie. And if you and Dave ever come remotely close to here, the four of us will have one big hootenany. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Heck yes! Happy weekend, friend. Dave just poured out a few Smithwicks for us 😀 Cheers!
LikeLike
Cheers!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent pictures and story Mark. I went over and visited the waer site as well. Great photos from above – it occurs to me that you are becoming like Spiderman : always looking for the high ground and skipping from rooftop to rooftop. We shall soon be getting reports of The Head peering down from the tops of buildings. ha! Well reported my friend.
LikeLike
Thank you, Paul. I will continue to spin my web at all of the sites I am allowed to use my Spidey sense. 🙂
LikeLike
We avoid large crowds and parades bc there are no clean restrooms. I hate port-o-potties, and always wind up somewhere, festival or carnival, where that’s all there is. Ew. That’s all I think when I watch Times Square at New Year’s. Where are these people peeing out all their beer? Just another reason why I’m not a half hour south of here at South by Southwest, with Jimmy Kimmel and mediocre bands.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My kid sister went to New Year’s Eve at Times Square and said there was NOWHERE to pee, Kerbey. Women were dropping trou and peeing behind cars. Ewwwww. Better than dirty port-a-potties, I don’t know? Men have it so much easier. Just need a big open trrough and a faucet with soap if you time your dinner right.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A freedom I shall ne’er know! 😦
LikeLiked by 1 person
A great turnout for the parade !!!
LikeLike
Syracuse people need to get out this time of year, you know? Waiting for spring!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’d have a serious case of cabin fever, so YES !!!
LikeLike
Apparently, snow. It was snowing on my way to work. It was snowing this afternoon, and it is supposed to snow Friday. I’m knew to this whole northeast thing, but I’m going with snow. Snow is the trademark sign of spring.
LikeLike
*new
LikeLike
I knew you meant new, you no. I mean know. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, Wormy. You are now not new. I have adopted you as one of us. Put you under my wing, so to speak. 🙂
LikeLike
I’m glad you got to go to your parade Mark. Sadly this year we didn’t. But that’s okay. We’ve been lucky and never seen anything but happy revelers. It is sad that there has to be someone out there ready to brawl when others want to have fun and peace. And thank you for not posting the fight!!!
LikeLike
It’s getting a lot of play and comment right around here, MBC. Too bad, indeed.
LikeLike
i would embrace the parade and looks like it was a nice day for your parade. weather is all a matter of luck, i think ) as for the fight, i wouldn’t film it, and would probably run away. i never understand the mentality of fights, nothing good can come of them. here, i’ve noticed the snow melt, the occasional popping up of sprouts and the warming trend. all good!
LikeLike
I can’t wait to see sprout-popping, Beth.
And yes, run the other way from the drunk fighters is the course of action most wise.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Trademarks of spring in my neck of the woods, this being southern regions of Houston, would be the sightings of women in flip flops and not leather boots. 😉 Oh, and buds on the trees, of course. Fighting at a parade? Why, just why… ugh.
LikeLike
Flip-flops! Yes, up here, too, but from June to Labor Day, more the timng. When I lived in Maryland, even I toughened up my pale-skin feet and wore flip-flops, Aud, because they were the state shoe, I thought. No longer for me in Syracuse. Crocs, yes.
LikeLike
Cocks are beast mode down here for the guys, Chum. You’d fit in.
LikeLike
Love my Crocs, Aud. Comfort deluxe. 🙂
LikeLike
Crocks…crocks…fix that please
LikeLike
I knew what you meant, Aud.
LikeLike
Against my better judgment, I watched the video. Disgusting. That’s why people call the Syracuse St. Patrick’s parade “amateur hour.” I bet there are a lot of proud moms and dads in the city after seeing that.
LikeLike
It is obviously after the parade, because vehicular traffic is moving through the street. But a bad mark against the day nonetheless. Agreed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nothing says spring like a St. Patty’s Day parade and…March Madness! 🙂 I don’t mind big crowds as long as no one is touching me. And as for fighting, I’d most likely move out of the way and keep my phone in my pocket…don’t want to get caught up in the mess!
LikeLike
I will be celebrating mightily (because I’m mighty-mighty) on Friday, to welcome in F*&%@ SPRING! We are expecting cold temps but I don’t care. As long as it is officially SPRING, I will feel happy.
There are always those yahoos who ruin it for the rest! Here at Umass, we have too many of those during the annual Blarney Blowout I’ve talked about before. They are so drunk that they can’t even move but find the strength to throw empty beer bottles at the police. AY!
LikeLike
That is the most awful thing you’ve ever told me here, Mrs. B. Drunk asses throwing empty beer bottles at the police. I am really steamed at the Blarney Blowout B——ds now. Dagnabbit!!!
Yes. Spring, officially. Oh, my. And you had your two weeks in your warm paradise with all those drinks and kisses. Imagine me and my Mrs. B.
LikeLike
A tell-tale sign where I live is when the snow melts enough to the point that a lot of the neighborhoods look as if they’re flooding! It’s muddy, but the weather is so warm that I have to walk outside and enjoy it. I can also sense spring when more birds are outside chirping. The weather recently has been so nice.
I like parades and crowds sometimes. If I saw a fight break out, I’d be running the other direction! I’d be too scared to record it, especially in a large crowd.
LikeLike
I’m glad that you’re getting to walk outside, Rebecca. A little mud is a small price to pay for the warmth of spring, and the song of birds. Ruly crowds at concerts and fests or sports can be fine, even fun to meet like-minded people. Unruly crowds, we want no part of it. Too dangerous
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. I’m glad I’ve been able to enjoy the warm weather. And I agree that I don’t mind the mud in exchange for the sunshine and warm temperatures. I agree that crowds can be fun and entertaining, and long as they’re not dangerous or aggressive.
LikeLike
There are no “telltale” signs where I live. We were in the 80s last week and today actually feels like spring, 70 degrees, sunny, and breezy. Loving it! I don’t care much for crowds and would NOT post or even video tape a fight. Yuck on violence. 🙂
LikeLike
Yes, yuck on the violence, Kim. I’m glad you are enjoying spring. 🙂
LikeLike
OH, run the other way for sure! I just hate violence! Why do people have to get all ugly?
LikeLike
I know. I’m so glad we had left by then, Marissa.
And … How fast did this page load with my three large photos? 🙂
LikeLike
Oh yes, Mark, you know I was all ready to give my feedback but I wasn’t sure if it was this post you were referring to or if you were going to do a photo post later (maybe duh on my part). So, when you had the trees in the background I noticed that it would take a little while for the trees to appear and then a little longer to actually see the blog (text/photos). This time, it still took a little bit to see the orange (it was orange today, right?) but then the blog came up right away. All over an improvement.
LikeLike
Thank you for the much-needed feedback, Marissa. The sunset is half the data than the tree image was, so that should take half the time to load. Unless it doesn’t work exactly like that. 🙂
LikeLike
That seems about right Mark! By the way, your blog is worth the wait.
LikeLike
Thank you, my Rock and Roll Super Mom Super Duper Poet friend. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
When the trees bloom, I feel like it’s spring again. I’ve been looking at the buds around here 🙂
LikeLike
(And well, March Madness…)
LikeLike
I’ve been giving the stink-eye to the bare branches, Joey. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person