St. Patrick's Day in Midway: business specials, sidewalk vendors, a parade, leprechauns and probably some rain

LIVE UPDATE: Leprechauns strutted in the parade.
(Image from Blake Jones's Facebook Live video)

Members of the Midway Business Association are hoping that rain won't dampen the spirits for Saint Patrick's Day in Midway, the group's latest promotion. The association says a parade and other events will be held regardless of the weather. The forecast for Saturday is for a 50 to 60 percent chance of showers, with  a possibility of thunderstorms at mid-afternoon.

Specials will be offered by shops beginning at 10 a.m. and by restaurants beginning at 11 a.m. Each restaurant will have a beverage, appetizer, and meal special. Sidewalk vendors will also offer food, games, crafts and St. Patrick's Day items. Five participating restaurants are promoting the Shamrock Ramble, in which customers will get their tickets marked to be eligible to win one of five prizes.

Dr. John Marsden

The grand marshal of the Shamrock Parade at 3 p.m. will be Midway University President John Marsden, whose heritage is Irish. The parade will include an equine unit from the university, an Irish court of honor, Mayor Grayson Vandegrift, the city's new fire truck and several other units. The World’s Tallest Leprechauns will walk in the parade and then walk around tying balloons and so forth until 5 p.m.

Midway Renaissance, the community garden group and the Friends of Walter Bradley Park will promote “Go Green in Midway” with electric cars and information booths about the garden, the park, recycling and solar energy.

The event is co-sponsored by Coolmore America Ashford, which bought Waterford Farm just east of Midway about two years ago.