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March 6, 2008

Rainy forecast postpones Providence's St. Pat's parade

PROVIDENCE -- A prediction for heavy rainfall this Saturday has led the city to reschedule its St. Patrick's Day parade to March 29 at noon -- 12 days after the actual observance of the saint's day.

"We are obviously disappointed that the parade has been postponed, but believe the best decision was to reschedule based on the weather forecast," Patrick Griffin, the parade committee president, said in a news release today announcing the day change. A flood watch is on statewide from tomorrow night to Saturday night.

"It was important to the committee that the rescheduled date did not interfere" with Newport's parade on Saturday, March 15, or the Roman Catholic observance of Holy Week leading up to Easter Sunday, March 23.

This year marks the first instance since 1940 that St. Patrick's Day -- March 17 -- arrived during Holy Week. Some cities have planned their parades earlier than usual to avoid falling within that time. Other cities in the country are not planning any such change.

In Rhode Island, a West Warwick parade is slated for March 16, which is Palm Sunday, the first day of Holy Week, while other local parades are taking place earlier. Pawtucket held its St. Patrick’s parade on March 1. If Providence’s parade had happened this Saturday, it would have been March 8.

Providence's parade, in its 15th year, is on Smith Hill and will step off at intersection of Elmhurst Avenue and Smith Street.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports

Posted by Mike McKinney  at 5:24 PM | Permalink

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