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Health & Fitness

Fun, Food and Friends Gathering, Plus a Parade

St. Patrick's Day in Healdsburg is a one-of-a-kind family event held at 7 in the morning every March 17th. Check out this video!

It is that time of year again when we gather at sunrise at 420 Healdsburg Ave. for the Annual B & B Lounge St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Always held at 7:00 a.m. sharp on March 17th every year, and known “as the other parade” (next to May's FFA parade) this year will be no different, with one exception: This year it is on Saturday.

If you have not made it to see this because you had to be at work, come on down. You will be surprised. Bill Coleman the owner of the goes to great lengths to make sure this is a family friendly and whole community event. An open house for all friends, family and community to gather and celebrate at.

For years I have gone with my daughter to walk in the parade. My favorite time that I remember was when she was in third grade her teacher asked her where she got the great little green St. Patricks Day hat. She responded with, “It was on the pool table at the B&B lounge and my Dad grabbed it for me.”

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The teacher responded with “I was there too and I didn’t get one.” You see this really is a family event with cookies, donuts and coffee for all.

Edie Bradley said, “It is great to see all of our regulars plus the once a year regulars, the city council including the Mayor, school teachers, principals and students all together with one goal, to celebrate our community.”

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This whole thing started a dozen plus years ago when two patrons at “The B” were having an Irish Coffee on St. Patty’s Day. They turned to each other and Virgil said “You know, we should have a parade.” They got up walked to the door, the two of them in single file and that was the first parade.

The parade is now up to a couple of hundred people who walk around the . There is a queen, decorated vehicles, a couple of fire trucks and of course a bag piper. To get a glimpse of the quality and details of this event just check out the Piper in the photos. That is Hal Wilkes, a world class champion bag piper who is world renowned.

At the end of the parade we gather around and Hal plays Danny Boy while John Ballachey sings it. Ballachey is a top ranked singer and everyone has a tear in his eye.

Right now Coleman and his crew are cooking over 700 pounds of corned beef to prepare for the day. The food thing is an entire other story that is really incredible!

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