Philadelphia celebrates St. Patrick's Day early with Irish music, dancing at parade
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Even though St. Patrick's Day is a week away, Philadelphia on Sunday was already full of green in celebration.
More than 20,000 people took over the streets in Center City for the annual St. Patrick's Day parade. The event has been filled with music and Irish dancing while drawing countless families out to watch since 1771.
The energy was unmatched as group after group strutted and danced down the streets.
"It's really fun just seeing everyone out here and getting to celebrate our Irish heritage with everyone and show them our dancing," performer Gracie Anderson said.
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This year, a 40-foot balloon floated above the parade route, accompanied by nearly 40 handlers from the Society of the Friendly Sons and Daughters of Saint Patrick.
The girls from the McDade Cara School of Irish Dance made their way down Market Street to perform in front of a big crowd and the CBS Philadelphia team.
"I think a lot of us have been dancing together for a really long time, so it's really great to come together and share the sport that we love with everybody," dancer Isabella Lechtenberg said.
They weren't the only ones taking center stage. Jonathan Kauffman was counting down the minutes till his daughter's performance.
"Both me and my wife are Irish, and so we started our daughter in Irish dancing because she loves to dance," Kauffman said.
After speaking with many of the people watching the event, one parade goer stood out amongst the rest by wearing a full leprechaun costume at just 7 years old.
"Oh, the leprechaun, the leprechaun," 7-year-old Ryan Cole said.
In the midst of all the Irish pride, Cole attracted his own crowd of people as he and others proudly got into the spirit of St. Patrick's Day.