14th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade Draws Biggest Crowd, Most Troupes Yet

Irish dancers kept the crowd in Cruz Bay on its feet during the 14th Annual St. Patrick’s Day parade on Saturday, March 19. Hosted by Quiet Mon Pub, the parade drew a huge crowd. Photos by Tropical Focus.

Shamrocks, Middle Aged Majorettes and Irish dancers in the middle of Cruz Bay could mean only one thing — a St. Patrick’s Day parade.

The 14th Annual Quiet Mon Pub St. Patrick’s Day Parade drew a festive, and bedecked, crowd to Cruz Bay on Saturday, March 19, at high noon. With shiny red fire trucks, hula hoopers and a mocko jumbie, this year’s parade was the largest yet.

Hosted by Quiet Mon Pub owner Kelly Krall and Mary Pat Brown from Connections, the parade has certainly grown from its quaint start 14 years ago.

“That first year we had 17 participants who traveled an estimated 1,700 feet and it lasted 17 minutes,” Brown said.

This year’s parade in Cruz Bay celebrating all things Irish drew the most troupes and the biggest crowd to date.

This year’s parade was a far cry from that day in 1997. The Middle Aged Majorettes, V.I. Fire Department and Quiet Mon Pub troupes were joined by a Using Sport for Social Change troupe, Stepho Clarke’s hula hoop all-stars, Irish dancers and a mocko jumbie this year.

Parade Marshall Bannon Beatty, joined by his parents and little brother, waved to the crowd from the back of a convertible.

A large crowd waving Irish flags soaked up the fun while generous helpings of corned beef and cabbage from Quiet Mon helped parade-goers soak up some of the Guinness that was flowing.

By 1 p.m. the parade crowd had mostly dispersed to the Quiet Mon Pub to enjoy Irish tunes by Chris and Mo Carsel, Jay Keefe and friends. With a bigger than ever crowd and parade, Krall and Brown have raised the bar for the annual Irish celebration.

Slainte!

Event-goers at a packed-Quiet Mon Pub watch the 14th annual St. Patrick’s Day parade of troupes and majorettes roll past accompanied by the V.I. Fire Department.