NORFOLK, Va. — For several people, the Ocean View St. Patrick’s Day Parade is a beloved tradition and after a 3-year hiatus due to weather and the COVID-19 pandemic, it's finally back!
“For all the fellow OV lifers who’ve lived in this area almost their whole lives this is one of our biggest events of the year, so everyone here is very excited,” said Joseph Donnelly, an Ocean View resident.
Despite gloomy weather, people lined Granby Street Saturday morning, all dawning green, for the 56th annual Ocean View St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
“In spite of the weather, we were really excited that it was actually going to happen this year,” said Karen Cawley, an attendee.
Several attendees told 13News Now the parade has been a family tradition for decades.
“Since I was 10 and I’m 60," said attendee Dora Ellsworth."I used to live here. I’ve marched in this parade as a teenager. I now live in Portsmouth, but I always try to come back for the parade, she said.”
But the event also brought out some new faces this year.
“Before the pandemic, I don’t think I’ve been to one parade in my entire life. But afterwards, you can’t take anything for granted," said Tashina, a Hampton Roads mother who brought her two children to the parade for the first time. "Everything’s not back to normal yet, but this makes it feel like it’s kind of normal now,” she said.
But the festivities didn't end with the parade. It was followed by a party at the Columbian Club in Norfolk.
