It all began on August, 30th 1974 when WMT Radio announcer Dick Hardiman announced that it
was only 200 days to St. Patrick's Day. Dick was a local radio announcer who had a morning
talk and music show. Calls started coming in talking about the possibility of having a
parade..
March 17th, 1975, the first St. Patrick's Day in Cedar Rapids Iowa had it's debut. The parade lasted four minutes and was a block and a half long. It was dubbed "The First and Last, One of a Kind, Ecumenical, St. Patrick's Day Parade." The parade ran from the Federal Building on 1st street to Green Square Park.
The first parade had George Preston from Bell Plaine pulling his 2 headed calf on a platform, a fella leading a goat wearing a jacket that said "Hogan" on the back, and a flat bed truck from Ted's Happitime with a load of people on it including Ted Mahoney. The signs were all home made and the entries had a "shanty" look to them.
The following February Dick Hardiman started getting calls about the parade again. Thus,
the 2nd Annual St.Patrick's Day Parade was organized. The year was 1976. The parade was
twice as long, (a full 10 minutes...)
The second parade came and went. Later that year Dick Hardiman left Cedar Rapids to pursue
other job opportunities.
A group of Irish folk gathered at Ted Mahoney's on 3rd Avenue west. They were bemoaning
the fact that their radio
announcer advocate had moved out of the area. They decided that a Irish group needed to be
formed to keep the parade tradition going. The Saint Patrick's Day Parade Society was born
one night in 1976 on a cocktail napkin. The name SaPaDaPaSo
was coined by taking the first two letters of the groups new name.
SaPaDaPaSo has sponsored every
parade since 1977.
SaPaDaPaSo is a non-profit organization ran by volunteers. The group is responsible for organizing the St. Patrick's Day Parade each year.
The Saint Patrick's Day parade is held every year ON THE 17th regardless of weather conditions.
The Saint Patrick's Day Parade Celebration in 1990 had an estimated attendance of 50,000 spectators. The parade was on a Saturday, and weather conditions were spectacular.
Each year judges are selected for the parade. The panel of judges usually consists of well known individuals from the community. Radio, TV personalities, Reporters, Judges, City Council members, etc. The judges sit in a bandstand on 3rd Avenue and are responsible for judging entries in a number of different categories such as first and second place
costumes, first and second place walking entry etc.
There are also several memorial awards, honoring deceased members of SaPaDaPaSo. Family members of these individuals help select the recipients of these memorial awards which are "floating trophies" that the winner has for a year. The judges are sequestered immediately following the parade while they make their final decisions. It is said that
these "discussions" have often been lively conversations.
The After parade celebration begins immediately following the close of the parade. This after parade party is held at a local establishment in the downtown area. It has been held in the past at The Roosevelt Hotel, The Emerald Knight's Bingo Hall, The Armstrong's building, and more recently at
Third Street Live. This is a boisterous celebration, a "Sea of Green" activity.
Each year prior to the parade SaPaDaPaSo also selects an Irish Colleen. The Irish Colleen is an extra touch of class for the parade. She is a young girl of Irish decent that is selected based upon a personal interview and a submitted photo. She rides in a convertible during the parade and helps pass out awards at the after parade celebration. This honored position is an asset to a future girl's educational applications and is a position of prestige in the Irish Community.
The club also sponsors annual "Irish Hooley" each year in March shortly before the parade. The Hooley is the club's major fund raiser for the year. It is also a very festive celebration
of music, song and dance.
SaPaDaPaSo meets once a month on the 17th from September through May to organize parade and other cultural activities. Meetings are held each month at area restaurants, and halls such as the Knights of Columbus hall on A avenue and location is variable month-to-month.
SaPaDaPaSo has yearly elections, nominating a President,
President Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Deputy Parade Marshal.
SaPaDaPaSo also assigns committee
chairpersons to organize specific tasks such as Judge selection, Awards, Publicity, The Annual Hooley, Annual Colleen Selection, Memberships, and the After Parade Celebration.
The Mayor of Cedar Rapids is typically our grand marshal for the day.
Live radio coverage is usually heard on KMRY.
SaPaDaPaSo is always looking for
new members. Memberships are $5.00 per year.
To become a member send an email to Tammy Hill.
