Parade participation soars

By Brenda Erdahl

The 47th annual Maple Lake St. Patrick’s Day Parade drew its largest crowd in at least two years despite blustery winds, Saturday, March 16.

Although organizers were hoping for temperatures closer to what we experienced earlier in the week, the weather was certainly better than last year when a measurable amount of snow fell and the year before when the high was just 15 degrees.

Temperatures were still above average for March and sunshine was plentiful when the green took to the streets in downtown Maple Lake. The early spring-like weather attracted what organizer Nick Pawlenty estimated as thousands of people. Crowds of people, in spots rows deep lined Division Street to see the 87 units that made up this year’s parade. The number of parade units was another above average turnout, Pawlenty said.

“The sun made the day very bearable despite the wind and it seemed to bring a lot more people out. A lot were just in sweatshirts along the parade route. Very happy with what we got as Sunday and the rest of the week is supposed to be very cold,” Pawlenty said.

Crowds of people several rows deep lined Division Street along the St. Patrick’s Day parade route in Maple Lake Saturday, March 16 to see the festive floats and colorful costumes. Even the dogs were dressed in green for the occasion.

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