By Kyra Williams
Staff Writer
Approximately 15,000 people attended the 23rd annual Hermosa Beach St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 11, which began at the Hermosa Beach City Hall and celebrated the holiday with floats and performers.
Over 100 local businesses, school bands and civic organizations participated in the parade activities. Bagpipers from the Los Angeles Police Department Emerald Society, Irish dancers, Storm Troopers, Brazilian dancers and dogs from the Irish Setters Club of Southern California also performed. In addition, local business owners made floats to promote their businesses. Gina Rothwell, the owner of the Hermosa Beach children’s clothing store Soul Baby participated in this year’s parade.
Photos: South Bay residents participate in the Hermosa Beach St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 11
“The parade for me this year was different because I was in it,” Rothwell said. “My husband and I decorated our car and we had about 15 kids all wearing different fashions from my store.”
The parade was seven blocks long and started at the intersection of Valley and Pier Avenue. It then proceeded down Pier Avenue, then south on Hermosa, where it finished at eighth street.
“I think the parade went really well this year,” Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce Representative Kimberlee Macmullan said. “I think the turnout was good despite the bad weather, and I hope everyone had a really great time.”
Link: Learn about the history of St. Patrick’s Day
The Hermosa Beach Youth Music band and chorus performed for the fifth year in a row. Heal the Bay, a nonprofit environmental group that works to protect the oceans, joined the parade this year with its Volkswagen van and a group of people marching behind holding up ocean related posters.
“I loved Heal the Bay because [it connected to ordinary people], it was colorful and it made a very important statement,” Mira Costa Alumni and parade attendee Rebecca Perry said.
Hermosa Beach resident and KCBS Los Angeles’ meteorologist Vera Jimenez gave a speech at the beginning of the parade. Sponsors of this year’s parade included Kinecta, Chevon, Patrick Molloy’s and E3 Vehicles. Athens Services, A trash company gave attendees reusable bags.
Link: Other St. Patrick’s Day events in Los Angeles
“The St. Patrick’s Day Parade is a fun event that I always look forward to,” attendee Janine Silverman said. “It reminds me of around 10 years ago when my kids were young and loved watching it with all of our Ninth Street neighbors.”
Several Irish dance clubs performed along the parade route. Additional acts included William Green’s ballet folklorico and the Hermosa Beach Historical Club, which had a band dressed in green play their instruments on the back of a decorated truck.
“It was yet another fun and festive St. Patrick’s Day parade in downtown Hermosa Beach,” Perry said.
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