Cd'A goes green
BILL BULEY | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 years AGO
Katharine Munson-Cook, center, holding hat and sign, waves during the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Sherman Avenue in Coeur d'Alene, while daughter Makaylah, with green hair and green fingernails, leads the way.
BILL BULEY/Press
Craig Moss holds the flag of Ireland as he walks in the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday in Coeur d'Alene.
The St. Patrick's Day Parade comes down Sherman Avenue on Saturday in Coeur d'Alene.
A crowd watches the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday in Coeur d'Alene.
Tinker Bell with Dreams are Forever waves during the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday in Coeur d'Alene.
Peter and Tyree Riggs lead a riderless horse in honor of Darwin Brown in the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday in Coeur d'Alene.
A man wears an Ireland shirt at the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday in Coeur d'Alene.
The Blazen Divaz march in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Coeur d'Alene on Saturday.
Dennis Redmond tips his hat during the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Sherman Avenue.
Mark Enegren is dressed for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Coeur d’Alene.
Jen Mackeage walks in the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday.
The All Things Irish float rolls along in the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday in Coeur d'Alene.
One of the many dogs in the St. Patrick's Day Parade.
Bill Buley covers the city of Coeur d'Alene for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He has worked here since January 2020, after spending seven years on Kauai as editor-in-chief of The Garden Island newspaper. He enjoys running. | March 13, 2022 1:08 AM
COEUR d’ALENE — Mark Enegren showed up dressed for his part in Saturday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in downtown Coeur d’Alene.
He wore a striped green jacket with white clovers, a green tie and necklace, bright green pants, green shoes and a green Jameson hat.
And he wasn’t even in the parade.
The Coeur d’Alene man was there to watch — and to enjoy the return of the beloved gathering after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19.
“It’s just an opportunity to go and celebrate after the winter,” Enegren said.
The luck of the Irish showed up, too, with sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-50s.
“Beautiful weather, great town. The parades are awesome in this town,” he said. “People are awesome in this town.”
The 17th annual parade put on by the Coeur d'Alene Downtown Association in partnership with Idaho Central Credit Union was packed with spirit, smiles and laughs. It included a leprechaun, a Guinness beer can costume, lots of dogs, women wearing red wigs and men wearing red beards, Tinker Bell in green and the All Things Irish float depicting a cottage, pub and castle you can find only in Ireland.
A happy Dennis Redmond wore a red beard and a leprechaun outfit he bought last year on an impulse.
“My wife finished it off this year and I said, ‘Let's get in the parade and I'll do it,’ and it's been a blast,” he said.
Thousands of people lined downtown Sherman Avenue, many also sporting green caps and T-shirts that said “Lepurrchaun,” “Feeling Lucky,” and “Kiss Me, I’m Irish.”
There were hundreds of excited kids, too, holding green balloons, wearing green ribbons and sporting green clovers on their faces.
That the huge crowd rivaled that of the Fourth of July's didn’t surprise Enegren.
“I think it's because everyone's just been locked down for so long, and they just want a reason to get out and enjoy it,” he said.
Peter and Tyree Riggs led a riderless Norwegian Fjord horse named Jostein through the parade in honor of Darwin Brown, who died last year. He was a longtime friend and supporter of All Things Irish on Sherman Avenue owned by Craig and Ilene Moss, who help organize the parade.
“Always a big supporter of St. Patrick's Day, a dear friend,” Peter Riggs said. “So we're honoring him with the riderless horse, signified by the backwards boots as a tribute.”
Brown’s daughter, Debbie Desmaris, and family members followed. She said they were moved by the tribute.
“It’s hard, and it’s a great honor at the same time that the folks at the Irish store cared so much,” she said. "They were a second family and to be part of this is special.”
ICCU rolled out “The Green Machine,” along with employees and their families having gone all-in on being Irish for the day.
“Everybody's having so much fun,” said Katharine Munson-Cook, whose daughter Makaylah’s hair was colored green. “I was doing high fives with the kiddos.”
Jen Mackeage and son Sean marched along, waving and grinning with the Hayden Canyon Charter School crew.
Like everyone else, they were delighted with the day.
“I love it,” Sean said. “It's my first parade and I just love it.”
Jen Mackeage added, “It’s so much fun. I love being here. Great time.”
She wore a green cowboy hat and a green shirt with the word, “Irish" front and center.
No wonder.
“We are Irish,” she said.
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