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connecticut

Emily Knapton

MarkAML7228_2025-02-28-07-20-14

We made it to Friday. That means it's time for Main Street, Connecticut, a chance to showcase our local towns and cities and everything they have to offer. This morning we are in Stamford. Uh, news to all Connecticut's Mark Zdall joins us from outside the Ferguson Library ahead of this weekend's big Saint Patrick's Day parade, and I guess you're on part of the trade, the parade route, aren't you, Mark? That's right, Becky and top of the morning to you, Lassie. Well, we're, uh, yes, right here on along the parade route. The parade starts tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. Joining me this morning is Michael Faha. He is the president of the Irish American Cultural Soci. of Stanford and Lorraine McLean, who is the parade chairman, thank you both for being with us and Michael, let me start with you and ask you, tell us about the parade route. The parade route a little bit longer this year. We start on Summer Street at Hoyt. We come all the way down Summer Street to Maine. Uh, we take a left on Maine to Atlantic. We take a left on, uh, on Atlantic up through Atlantic, through Bedford, uh, to Latham Park. We in Latham Park. It's about 1 mile long. And Lorraine, tell us about some of the participants and the floats and things like that. Oh my goodness, we've got 3 Irish dance schools. We've got we've got the Chinese dancers. We're very international in our parade. I can't tell you. I think we have over 40 pipe bands that are in there. We have brass bands. We have the public schools that are in, oh my God, there's just so many and we have floats. We do have. A float that's coming in from Guinness and it is going to be an Irish pub, so that should be a very interesting one that will be wrapping up at the end of the parade, but I mean there's just so much to do, you know, we have 8 fire trucks. One of them is green. And gosh, you know, we have our grand marshal Bridie Bear, what a doll she is, you know she's going to be marching along with all of her family and then we have Future 5, and there are our honorees for the year, the Hibernians, who am I missing here, Mike? That's pretty much about it now, Michael, what about, what does this do for the businesses? Oh, it's a tremendous advantage for the businesses. I've been told that it is the largest revenue generator of the year on our parade day. Wow for the businesses and. So they don't want the parade to go anywhere. They're very supportive of us and I love them all. Lorraine, in about the 30 seconds we have left, what about the planning for this? Oh my goodness, we start in September, but we have events all year long and we're constantly looking for volunteers because it's an all volunteer based organization. We raise all of our own money. It costs at least $60,000 to put On the parade. Then we have the Grand Marshal dinner. So anybody that's out there, come on down to the Hibernian Hall here in Stanford and volunteer for next year's St. Patrick's Day parade in Stanford. How could you not, after meeting Lorraine and Michael, two great people, part of this event. What a fantastic event it is, and Becky, we'll have more for you coming up in our next hour. OK, can't wait. Sounds like it's going to be a great parade.

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Mark8AML228

Yeah, we made it to Friday. Time for Main Street, Connecticut, a chance to showcase our local towns and cities, see everything that they have to offer this morning we're in Stamford. Yeah, News 12 Connecticut's Mark Sudall joins us from Tyan's Bar and Restaurant ahead of this weekend's big Saint Patrick's Day parade, Mark. Yeah, Becky, a lot of local businesses along the parade route will be busy on Saturday, including Tiernan's. Joining me this morning is Colette DC and her husband Seamus. Thank you so much for joining us this early in the morning. Uh, tell us about the parade and, uh, what that's gonna mean for you. Uh, the parade, it's the 30th parade. We've been here 21 years and, uh. It'll mean a lot of business. Uh, we'll have the dancers come in from the Anara dancing school, bagpipers, and of course lots of Irish fair to be had and live music. So it'll be a busy day but a very fun day. Seamus, tell us about some of that, uh, Irish fare, and here's the menu in case you forget what it is. Freddy is our chef and he's been here for quite a long time, about 17 years, and he does a fabulous job. Everything that you want, he's got it, you know, he's got anything from the shepherd's pie, fish and chips to corned beef and cabbages, Rubens, yeah, everything. He's he's a good one. Now you're going to be watching the parade. You got a front row seat here actually the parade doesn't start that's true, but we'll be I'll be going up to see it. Yeah, absolutely. What, what do you look forward to mostly in the parade every year? Well, you know, the two things the bagpipers come in. That's always, that's always a great thing for the crowd of people that are here. They love that. And then when the dancers come in, it's just pandemonium. It's, it's great. Everybody gets up and watches and cheers them on. It's great. Now of course, aside from the food, everybody thinks about Guinness right on Saint Patrick's Day. Now you've got an interesting story about Guinness. I mean because I asked why is it so dark? Yeah, actually, originally the Guinness, they burnt to hops and they were going to dispose of the beer, but the locals and the workers there drank it and they liked it, so like a happy accident, like I said, you know, became the product Guinness and that's from the 1600s, so they've been drinking Guinness for quite some time. And currently we were just saying Guinness is very, very popular right now. It's, uh, we have record sales of Guinness in 21 years. Yeah, this is last year and this year is trending in the same direction. So how many kegs do you have for this weekend? Well, we'll have a minimum would be. 2 for the weekend, yeah, about 20 yeah, but uh we'll probably go through a little bit more than that. So Seamus, you said that we're gonna, uh, partake here, is that correct? Yes, right. Oh, that looks amazing. Top of the morning to you. Launch it launch it right back at you. good. It's uh Happy Saint Patrick's Day to you. Oh, so smooth and refre. It's like a milkshake in the morning. So smooth and refreshing. Becky, if you care, I'll, I'll try to bring back uh a Guinness for you, man. Oh yeah, a little shepherd's pie and all looks good. All right, thanks, Mark.

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News 12 is checking out all of the best St. Patrick's Day spots on this Main Street segment.

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