PAWLING – The “Unofficial St. Patrick’s Day Parade” in the Village of Pawling, billed as the shortest parade in America, is taking place on February 19. This year will be the sixth year that hundreds of marchers, including fire departments and civic organizations, will participate in the parade that extends a total of 223 feet.
The event begins at noon with live entertainment and will feature a moment of silence in honor of last year’s Grand Marshall, the late Dutchess County Sheriff Butch Anderson, known as Pawling’s favorite son. Anderson was a lifelong resident of Pawling and expressed his love for the village and town at every opportunity. Several members of the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office and elected officials are expected to be participating.
The 2021 parade was postponed until July due to the pandemic. With his wife Danielle at his side last year, Anderson told Mid-Hudson News “This is one of the most fun events of the year,” adding, “I am honored that my friends and neighbors selected me to serve as the Grand Marshal.”
The parade began when Kevin O’Connell and Jeremiah Hughes were sitting in a pub and as a dare, decided to have a parade, according to Henry Schaber, owner of the Pawling Family Quick Stop in the village. “This started as a parade of seven guys walking down the street,” said Schaber who served as the Grand Marshal for the inaugural march. “All of the businesses in town are busy as a result of the parade – it’s a really good community event.”
This year’s event will feature live bands performing across the street from O’Connor’s Public House beginning at noon. The “Misfits” have been named as the Grand Marshalls for the day. “We selected The Misfits, consisting of Jeremy Busolt, Jerry Machia, Bill Riley, and Kevin Kehoe to lead this year’s day of fun,” said Schaber. “The parade draws a large crowd to Pawling for a day of fun and the businesses also do quite well.”
