Binghamton students, get your clovers and green leotards out of storage, you’ve got an appointment with your friends for food and drink ‘ tomorrow morning at 10 a.m.
St. Patrick’s Day. For 99.9% of the world, it’s on March 17. Binghamton however, is the other .1%. Each year Downtown Binghamton celebrates everyone’s favorite snake banisher a little earlier than the rest of the world, in what has become known as ‘Parade Day.’
Parade Day, which is tomorrow, March 3, is Binghamton at its best. While the focal point of the day is indeed, a large Irish-themed parade, which begins at 1:30 p.m. at the corner of Court and Fayette streets, Parade Day’s calling card is its State Street specials.
Last year, nearly every State Street watering hole opened bright and early for Parade Day revelers, and this year the same can be expected. Flashbacks is predicted to one-up all the rest. They’ll be celebrating with an outdoor pub (picture those inflatable castles you used to play in as a child ‘ then add beer).
Inside the pub, Irish-Americans and wannabe Irish-Americans will find a breakfast buffet, which will include green eggs and ham, and 50-cent mugs. In the afternoon, Flashbacks is going to switch over to a ‘Traditional Irish buffet, featuring corned beef and cabbage.’
Between the two buffets, make sure to actually watch the parade. According to Bill Ryan of the Ancient Order Hibernians, the Irish-American club that organizes Parade Day, this parade is no small affair. Ryan says the event is held two weeks before St. Patrick’s Day because ‘many of the floats we use have to be in New York City on St. Patrick’s Day’ for the Big Apple’s annual celebration.