HARTFORD, Conn. — A tradition is returning to the streets of Hartford on March 12. It has been absent since 2019, but the Greater Hartford Saint Patrick’s Day Parade is back on. And less than two weeks before the marching, the excitement is already on the minds of those behind the parade.
“It’s really happening, the parade is a go!” said Liz Saunders, the general chair of the Central Connecticut Celtic Cultural Committee (C.C.C.C.C). Saunders is also being honored as the 2022 Saint Patrick Parade’s Grand Marshal.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing the thousands of people line the streets of Hartford,” said Saunders, “Showing our culture, our spirit, and bringing the streets of Hartford alive again.”
The West Hartford Parade contingency is equally excited about the parade, which will recognize 50 years in 2022. Officially, 2021 was the 50th anniversary of the parade but COVID-19 canceled the festivities so parade organizers are celebrating the milestone this year.
John Staunton is part of the West Hartford Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Committee; it’s a parade his father helped start.
“It (the parade) marches in the family, we’re going into our fourth generation with our kids, so they are excited,” Staunton said.
The Greater Hartford 2022 parade is honoring Jeff Flaks, the president and CEO of Hartford HealthCare as the “Person of the Year”. From his downtown Hartford office, Flaks said he will be marching on behalf of all the frontline workers who have dedicated so much energy since the pandemic began.
“In many ways, I’m accepting this for all the people that worked on the frontlines of health care," Flaks said. "We saw such heroic acts and, on that day, (March 12) we’ll be celebrating healthcare and the community, and we’ll be celebrating 50 years of this parade that is an incredible tradition.”
The Hartford Saint Patrick’s Day Parade will air live on the CW20 Saturday, March 12 at 11 a.m.
Jimmy Altman is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at jaltman@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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