Village of Carmangay carries on one of world's shortest St. Patrick's Day parade tradition

CARMANGAY, Alta. -

Southern Albertans tightened their shoelaces and threw on their green attire for the 39th annual St. Patrick's Day parade in Carmangay.

 

"People look forward to it and everybody works together to pull it off," said Kym Nichols, mayor of the Village of Carmangay.

 

"It's the most unorganized-fun event."

 

Known as one of the world's shortest St. Patrick's Day parade, the spectacle starts at the village office and ends at the former site of the Grange Hotel, which is just across the street. 

 

"I come back because I'm celebrating the Irish," said Lynn Johnson, who's been taking part in the parade since 2015.

 

"It's family here. People here are so friendly, I don't know how many hugs I got today."

 

More than 60 residents and southern Albertans came out for the annual, community-led event – people of all ages wanting to take part in the village tradition.

 

"Today is actually a PD day for the kids, so I thought (I) might as well get them dressed up and take in some green beer and some fun for all," said first-time parade-goer Brooke Vance.

 

Vance, along with her family, walked the parade route before enjoying Irish stew, green beer and live entertainment.

 

"It felt a little bit fun and exciting," said seven-year-old Jaxten Vance.

 

The parade has brought out hundreds of people over the past four decades. 

 

"Thirty-nine years ago, George Johnson and Jim O'Connor, Jim O'Connor owned the hotel," Nichols said.

 

"Jim went to get his mail and George was there and he said, 'Hey, how about you follow me back to the hotel and we'll have a beer and we'll call it the St. Paddy's Day parade?' And that's how it started."

 

But, on March 28, 2021, the Grange Hotel was destroyed by a fire. https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/historic-southern-alberta-hotel-destroyed-in-early-morning-fire-1.5365760

 

Although the devastating blaze impacted the parade route, Nichols says that didn't stop the community from continuing the tradition.

 

"Last year was tough," Nichols said.

 

"Like, do we continue? Do we start a new chapter? Like, how do you go on? But, the community decided let's go do this and it was kind of a healing process and it shows the resilience of Carmangay."

 

First-time parade-goers hope to return for years to come.

 

"I feel like all of us in hometowns are close and we should continue to try and grow the fun with our families," Vance added.