Yonkers' St. Patrick's Day Parade postponed due to rain, but revelers still make the most of it
YONKERS, N.Y. - Saturday's washout across the Tri-State Area led to event cancellations throughout the region, including the much-anticipated Yonkers St. Patrick's Day Parade.
Residents are making the most of the wet weather anyway.
"April showers" arrived early Saturday. Nancy Hite-Norde of Tuckahoe was getting prepared. She was one of several residents picking up sandbags from the Yonkers DPW.
"I'm just happy to be protected. I think this is a wonderful program," she said.
Yonkers DPW workers were busy Saturday morning loading up locals' cars with sandbags. Each got about five to protect their homes from potential flooding. The city has been distributing sandbags for free during stormy weather over the past few years.
"It's never enough ... Some homes get flooded and people, they lose their houses and whatnot. But this is a start, it's a good program," Yonkers maintenance worker Peter Torres said.
"We have a downhill driveway, so we're happy to have some added protection," resident Dan Kenny said. "It's unfortunate that homeowners have to go through this."
Wet weather washed out Yonkers' well-known St. Patrick's Day Parade, but the party went on at Rory Dolan's Restaurant & Bar on what would've been the parade route. They were still holding their planned concert Saturday night.
"We had a great weekend last weekend -- 12,000 Guinness sold. So we're very disappointed," bartender James Carroll said.
Business owners like Murdock Hagerty were looking forward to bringing out the outdoor seating.
"We're used to rain in Ireland, but this is a little bit heavier," he said. "We were hoping for a good day but you know, March can bring any sort of weather."
It brought a group of friends from the DC-area in kilts back to their old stomping grounds, in what was a trip planned years in advance to see the parade.
"Growing up nearby, this is part of how I remember Yonkers and Westchester County, the cold rain of an early spring," Andrew Kanger said.
"It's not raining on our parade today. We're here today," Jerry Rogers said.
Locals and business owners are hoping it isn't a repeat of what they saw in October, when their fall festival's rain date got rained out. The parade's new date is April 6.