St. Patrick’s Day parades turn pandemic blues Irish green

By BOBBY CAINA CALVAN
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — St. Patrick’s Day celebrations across the country are back after a two-year hiatus. That includes New York City’s parade Thursday, the nation’s largest and oldest. It’s a sign of growing hope that the worst of the coronavirus pandemic may be over. In 2020, these parades were among the first major events cancelled as the virus hit the United States. New York’s parade coincides this year with the city’s reopening. Major mask and vaccination rules have recently been lifted. Elsewhere, Chicago dyed its river green after doing so without much fanfare last year. Communities in Boston, Florida, and Savannah, Georgia, are also bringing their parades back.