If you live in Boston, or even Butte, a Saint Patrick’s Day parade is a big deal, a grand march down main street followed by a rousing good time in beer soaked pubs. In Kalispell, however, Saint Patrick’s Day is mainly an excuse to get drunk on green ale, and the parade is an anemic event that’s held out of habit. And so on Saturday, 15 March 2008, graying bagpipers skirled up Kalispell’s main drag, followed by equally experienced Hibernians, and a few others, all bravely smiling and waving at the sparse crowds. My photos of the best of the parade are below. Just for the record, I’m not Catholic.
Update, 1 November 2010. A couple of days ago, I discovered that four of these images had been used without permission on a website called Baucus Drunk. That’s a copyright infringement, and I notified the website’s ISP of that fact.
A Max Baucus supporter sweetens the palm of a Kalispell policeman. The response from the Kalispell Police Department? “Cute picture. Should be good for blackmail some day.”
Marching north under yellow lights and a police escort.
Bagpipers skirl up Main Street. They looked cold, but sounded good.
White shirts and a sharp formation from the far right
An ancient order’s seasoned marchers.
Colorful, but it ain’t Irish.
Old Ireland meets the Old West.
A green robed dignitary waves to the masses.
A rolling saucer from Polson pollutes Kalispell’s air.
Supporters of Max Baucus bring up the rear.
Tuckered-out marchers rest under a rainbow.