Ms. Overdorf saw an opportunity to reconnect the neighborhood with its Irish roots by re-instituting the parade.  "I grew up in a household where my parents put a lot of emphasis on our Irish heritage. It was always a huge part of our lives.  St. Patrick's Day was special!  It brought everyone in the family, and everyone in the neighborhood, together.  That's what I wanted to recreate with the parade."

The parade started out small, with a little more than twenty marching units participating. Now the parade boasts more than fifty marching units, just about half as many as the downtown parade.  The marching contingents represent a broad spectrum of participants including Irish step-dancers, floats, family marching units, marching bands, and local sports mascots. The jobs that the Irish have traditionally held, such as policemen, firemen, and politicians, are well represented in the parade.  The Police Emerald Society leads things off, a traditional position that they held in the original parade, with the Fire Emerald Society leading off the second division.

Unions, which have always been an important part of Irish heritage, are also represented, most poignantly by the Scoopers Local 109.  "The Scoopers" were the guys hauling the grain out of the boats that came in on the Buffalo River. "They made Buffalo the grain-milling capital of the world," remarked Overdorf.

People come from all over for the parade, calling weeks in advance to get information, remarked Overdorf.  So what's the appeal??  The downtown parade is just like any other parade, but with an Irish theme. Our parade is more personal. People can identify and connect more. They can imagine what it was like at the turn of the century, their ancestors marching down the same streets, celebrating in the same way.  The Old Neighborhood Parade has even come to be known as the "Other Parade."

The Old Neighborhood Parade is special in many ways. For one, Irish flags, embroidered with family names and clans, adorn the parade route.  Accounts of the original parade describe the parade route as being spectacularly decorated.

"We wanted to incorporate as much of the original parade as possible. It's an awesome sight when the sun is shining, and the flags are blowing in the wind, it transforms the neighborhood," stated Overdorf.

The Grand Marshal also plays a huge role in the parade. The Grand Marshal is selected by the Parade Committee, a group of neighborhood residents and business owners who plan and assist with parade preparations. The nominee must meet certain requirements such as being from Irish descent and their contributions to the community.

We view the Grand Marshal as somewhat of a lifetime achievement award, someone who has quietly, but directly, influenced, helped, and devoted their life to the Old Neighborhood. Our Grand Marshals have been instrumental in preserving the neighborhood that they love so much, expressed Ms. Overdorf.