The O-town Scene

March 17, 2011

The O-town Scene - Oneonta, NY

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St. Paddy’s Festivities to be Saturday in Delhi Ed O’Neill missed going to a St. Patrick’s Day Parade after moving up to Delaware County in 2001 to buy the Andes Hotel. He grew up watch- ing his father, with his army unit, march in the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade. “My parents took me out of school and we’d go to the parade. It was a big day,” said O’Neill, who owns the Andes Hotel in Andes and the recently opened O’Neill’s Shire Pub in Delhi. “It wasn’t until the Shire opened (in July 2010) that we started hatching plans for a parade.” Those plans will become a reality Saturday when the inaugural Delhi St. Patrick’s Day Parade will go through town, starting at noon on Elm Street and traveling down Main Street, ending on Bridge Street. Groups includ- ing the Schenectady Pipe Band, the Hobart Pipe and Drum Corps, several fire departments, Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops and others will march or ride floats in the parade, which is still open to any group that wants to participate. “We’ll let anyone march, because the bigger, the better,” O’Neill said. O’Neill has been organizing the event with Glenn Nealis, the director of economic development for Delaware County, since February. And the Greater Delhi Chamber of Commerce has helped promote the idea and get local businesses involved. “Everybody loves a parade, and we just want to make a fun day of it,” Nealis said. “I’ve always considered St. Patrick’s Day the unofficial start of spring ... everybody’s hunkered down in the winter, and this (parade) is a way for people to come out and have fun.” After marching in the parade, bagpipers will play in the town square until 2 p.m. After they finish, O’Neill’s Shire Pub will host Albany-based Celtic rock band the Fighting 86’s. Local businesses will also be partici- pating in the “Keep your GREEN LOCAL ... and you might get LUCKY” campaign _ for every $10 spent at a local business, customers will get a raffle ticket for a $50 gift certificate to that business. It’s a community event. “It’s a good occasion for a social gathering,” Nealis said. The goal is for people to come out and mingle and celebrate the end of winter. “We’ve had so much snow, people are just aching to get outside and get in a spring mood,” O’Neill said. “I hope everyone comes out ... it’s one more fun thing to do in the spring. We usually watch the mud and wait for the leaves ... We’re hoping (the parade) will become a tradition.” _ Cassandra Miller Delhi St. Patrick’s Celebration Parade, noon, Elm to Main to Bridge streets Schenectady Pipe Band bagpipers, playing until 2 p.m., village square Whiskey tastings, Ray’s Fine Wine and Spirits Fighting 86’s Celtic rock band, after parade at O’Neill’s Shire Pub Saturday, March 19 18 O-Town Scene March 17, 2011

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