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Thursday, March 4, 2021

Denison St. Patrick's Day Parade Set For Triumphant Return

The Denison St. Patrick's Day Parade is set for next Saturday afternoon with this year marking the 30th anniversary of the parade. Suezan Grau joined the KDSN Morning Talk Show to chat about the event and says it will be happening rain or shine.

“We've done is before in the snow. We've done it in rain. Unless the City tells us we can't do it, we're planning on it. Kind of the like the mailman,” said Grau.

Grau says many plans for the event are still in place from last year when COVID-19 concerns postponed the 30th anniversary milestone to 2021 and people jumped at the chance to bring the tradition back.

“Everybody came back and said yes we need to get the parade started again. We need to get some normalcy back in our lives,” said Grau. “This is probably going to be one of the biggest parades we've had just because people just want to get back to normal.”

She says this year's festivities will be held in memory of the parade founders Joe and Marilyn Curnyn as well as Brian O'Neill who continued the tradition of the parade until his recent passing. The Grand Marshall will be Patrick Curnyn, son of Joe and Marilyn Curnyn, and Irish Mother will be Peggy O'Neill, sister of Brian O'Neill. The event will honor the past parade coordinators with an empty car leading the parade.

“I just thought this would be a great way to show our tribute to them for starting this tradition and keeping the tradition alive,” said Grau.

“This is when we celebrate our heritage and our parents and just keep the tradition going that they started 31 years ago,” said Grau.

Grau says the St. Patrick's Day celebration is especially important to her.

“My father died the day before the first St. Patrick's Day parade. This was really something that he loved about being Irish was celebrating St. Patrick's Day," said Grau. "Joe Curnyn came up to see him and he was there with my dad when he passed away. To us, it's just our last way of showing our tribute to my dad and showing everybody in town that the Irish heritage is alive and well and going strong."

The St. Patrick's Parade will be starting at 1 p.m. with lineup between noon and 12:30 p.m. in front of the post office. The route will go down Main Street to Broadway and will end at 16th Street. Please contact the Chamber and Development Council if you are planning to be in the parade.

You can listen to our full talk show interview with Suezan Grau here.

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