HONOLULU -- The Waikiki shopping district was lined with green trees, green shirts, green painted faces, green
shamrocks and green ev¬erything when people celebrated St. Patrick’s Day during the 45th annual Waikiki St.
Patrick’s Day parade, March 17.
A sea of different shades of green consumed the strip from its start to its finish. Thousands of tourists, local
residents and spectators crowded the street to see the parade’s entertainment for the afternoon. The parade
kicked off with a traditional bagpipe band with three flag bearers, carrying the American national flag, the
Hawaiian state flag and the Republic of Ireland national flag.
Not far behind the opening act, the U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific Band gave the crowd a spectacle by playing
classical military music such as the “Marines’ Hymn.” Toward the end of the parade, the band played “The Battle
Hymn of the Republic” in front of the final viewing stand. Sgt. Hector Munoz, a saxophone player and native of
El Paso, Texas, thought the parade was a wonderful experience to see so many people celebrating in one place.
“We represent the Marine Corps by making our presence known and participating in events,” Munoz said. “Being in
parades like this gives us the chance to show another side of the Marine Corps. We practice hours a day and
rehearse for several weeks to put on a good show that people will remember.”
St. Patrick’s Day can trace its origin to St. Patrick of Ireland during the 5th century. According to legend,
Patrick brought Roman Catholicism to Ireland by using the three-clover shamrock to explain the religious concept
of the Holy Trinity to the Irish pagans.
Over time, green replaced blue as the color associated with the holiday for unknown reasons. During the mid-20th
century, the government of the Republic of Ireland campaigned to use St. Patrick’s Day as a showcase for Ireland
and Irish culture.
While not a legal holiday in the U.S., St. Patrick’s Day is popularly celebrated across the country and other
parts of the world. Chicago, with its dense population of Irish families and immigrants, has one of the most
recognized St. Patrick’s Day traditions by dyeing the Chicago River green during the holiday.
The Waikiki parade went on to showcase restored vintage muscle cars, promotion walks for roller derby, and local
bands playing at different venues. Along the way, performers in the parade threw green necklaces as the crowd
cheered. Paul Barzu visited from Vancouver, B.C., with his wife and in-laws from Japan and came to Hawaii for
vacation. Barzu wanted to show them a parade unlike anything they saw at home.
“This was quite a new experience for them, and I’m really glad we came,” Barzu said. “My father-in-law’s
favorite part was seeing the Marine band march in their uniforms and playing songs. He was proud to see the
Marines at their finest.”