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Riders will be tossing about a quarter of a million pounds of produce, including not only traditional cabbage, but also tossing carrots, potatoes, onions, bananas, pineapples, apples, limes, lemons, oranges, hundreds of this year's "GOT SEAFOOD?" T-shirts, totes, Frisbees, Ramen Noodles, candy, chips, Moon Pies, and much more.
"Its the kind of like the Endymion of St. Bernard," says Chad O'Neil, president of the parade, "Obviously on a much smaller scale, but it's our Endymion, it's our little Mardi Gras day since we don't actually have a Mardi Gras day parade here in St. Bernard like we used to."
This is a real family affair O'Neil explains, "People get on the neutral ground early and start barbecuing, and crawfish boils, and you name it, they've got it going on on the neutral ground."
The Irish Italian Islenos Community Parade is becoming a tradition "down in the parish," and O'Neil says this is also a chance for a lot of former St. Bernard residents, who've been displaced by Hurricane Katrina to return to the parish and catch up with old friend and neighbors. "It's almost like a reunion-type feeling."
The 12th Annual St. Bernard Irish Italian Islenos Community Parade and Marching Club will hit the streets of St. Bernard on Sunday, March 3, 2013 with the marchers beginning at 11:00 a.m. The parade will follow at 12:00 noon.
This year's King is Rocky Tommaseo of the famous Rocky and Carlo's Restaurant in Chalmette. And the 2013 Queen is Rocky's wife, Katie Tommaseo.
