You probably don’t need to be told that there are other ways to mark St. Patrick’s Day than imbibing an excess of green-dyed beer. Perambulating a city and contemplating life on its streets, like Stephen Dedalus in his odyssey across Dublin in James Joyce’s Ulysses, is certainly a time-honored Irish tradition worth reviving. Here are three mid-Hudson communities presenting appealing opportunities to do just that this coming weekend, in an organized fashion in the company of other perambulators:
Kingston offers its city tour at two speeds on the same day, Sunday, March 12. Those who need to exercise off a surfeit of Irish soda bread, or who just prefer an athletic approach, can show up at Academy Green (across from the Governor Clinton Apartments at 1 Albany Avenue) between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to register for the annual Shamrock Run. Dedicated this year to the memory of Joyce Ellen Carey, the race heads down Broadway at 12:50 sharp. Wear your “running kilt” if you really want to get into the spirit of the thing. Visit www.shamrockrunners.org for information or to preregister.
Just a few blocks away at the Kingston Plaza, pedestrians who prefer a pace more conducive to a sharing of the craic will assemble on Sunday morning for the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade, stepping off at 1 p.m. and ambling down Broadway behind the runners. Ulster County’s Ancient Order of Hibernians chapter supplies the hoopla, including marching bands, floats and bespangled local celebrities. Call (845) 338-6622, e-mail events@ulsteraoh.com or visit www.ulsteraoh.com for more info.
The City of Beacon has a bit of catching-up to do, as this Saturday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade of Green is only the event’s second annual outing. Participants will line up on Wolcott Avenue (Route 9D) from Main to Beekman Street, stepping off onto Main Street at 11 a.m. on March 11 and heading southeast as far as the “dummy light” just before the Fishkill Creek. To find out more, visit www.facebook.com/paradeofgreen.
Celebrating its 40th outing in Orange County and its 15th in a row in the Village of Goshen, perhaps the most venerable such event in our region is the one that simply calls itself the Mid-Hudson St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Step-off is at 2 p.m. this Sunday, March 12. For information about the line of march and other details, contact the Mid-Hudson St. Patrick’s Parade Committee at (917) 453-3554 or visit www.facebook.com/the-mid-hudson-st-patricks-parade-committee-301827093207670.
Join the family! 
