COEUR d'ALENE - From a traditional Irish horse-drawn carriage, Steve Saunders and his son, Shay, waved to bystanders Saturday afternoon and sometimes tossed green beaded necklaces or candy.

As a full-blooded, third-generation Irish-American and the owner of O'Shay's Irish Pub and Eatery, it seems only natural that Steve would make the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in downtown Coeur d'Alene a family tradition.

"We're excited," Steve said. "We were in the first parade and we've been in every single one, and this is the same float we've had every year."

Shay, 12, is the namesake of the restaurant, which he said is "pretty awesome." He rocked an oversized green mustache as he waved to parade-goers.

"This is the funnest celebration that Coeur d'Alene has in terms of the cheer and the people having a good time," Steve said.

The 10th annual Downtown Association's St. Patrick's Day "Let's Hooley" parade included about 25 entries that piped, drummed, danced, rolled, trotted and marched along Sherman Avenue. The Coeur d'Alene Firefighters Pipes and Drums led the way, with appearances by Cherry Hill Park BMX, Ronald McDonald, the Snake Pit Derby Dames, PFLAG Coeur d'Alene, the Coeur d'Alene Chamber of Commerce, Irish wolfhounds, Irish setters, the guy in the Guinness can and more.

"I come for the Irish dancing every year, because this is the only place you ever see it anymore," said Maura Lund, 19, of Rathdrum. Lund said she is 75 percent Irish Gaelic and enjoys the parade because it brings the community together.

"It's definitely cool to see," she said.

All Things Irish presented a colorful display as well as the Irish Colleen of the Year, Tyree Riggs of Coeur d'Alene, who wore voluminous red curls as she celebrated her Scottish heritage.

"I'm honored to be chosen," she said. "You have to, obviously, be Irish and Scottish, or one of those two, and do something outstanding or be really friendly."

And while the sun did not make an appearance, spirits weren't dampened by the gray skies and the rain, which halted just in time for the parade.

"It may rain before our parade, it may rain after our parade, but it never rains on our parade," said Craig Moss, who runs All Things Irish with his wife, Ilene.

"In the history of the parade, it's never rained on the parade," Craig said, smiling. "Ilene's a good Catholic, she's got a connection."