YORK, Pa. — The bagpipes were calling and thousands of people were feeling the luck of the Irish during the 38th annual York St. Patrick's Day Parade.
More than 50 groups marched down Market Street for the event, including parade floats, local marching bands, and Irish dance troupes.
“We do look forward to this," said Greg Gladfelter, who attended the parade with his wife. "This is kind of our outdoor spring kickoff.”
Hundreds of parade goers showed up hours before the event, in order to claim the best spots along the sidewalk.
“We always like to come early, get our stuff down, and walk around and see the local shops," said Abby Runk, who attended the parade with her family. "We were late one year, and we figured that we weren’t going to do that again.”
Many families continued lifelong traditions celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in York. Runk said she and her family have gone to the parade for more than 20 years.
“We started coming when my daughter was one or two years old," said Runk. "Now she’s 23 and my son is 18 and we just keep coming back. It’s a tradition they both look forward to every year.”
The floats, dancers, and bands are leaving paradegoers feeling green for St. Patrick’s Day.
"There are not many places that do it quite like York," said Christian Rivera, who was attending his first parade. “I love everyone being dressed in green and being festive. It’s great.”