Vancouver
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Parade organizers cancel the 2010 event after Winter Paralympic Games organizers say it would conflict with events associated with the games
The long-standing traditional and very well celebrated St. Patrick's Day Parade has been cancelled by CelticFest Vancouver, the organization responsible for staging the annual Parade. CelticFest said it took the action because the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Games would leave "downtown venues and our community's volunteer pool...stretched to the absolute maximum, making it [the parade] essentially impossible."
Games organizers warned that the parade would coincide with already planned events associated with The Winter Paralympic Games, which were officially opened last Friday. Irish sources in Vancouver say they had started their preparations for the upcoming Parade in 2011, and promised it would be bigger and more spectacular.
But there's no problem for the Irish community and people of Vancouver to get together in local pubs and bars to show off their green colours while listen to the music, perform traditional dances and drink Guinness. Although St. Patrick's Day main celebrations are scheduled to be held on Wednesday, the streets of Vancouver have already started to add some Irish green to Canadian red-and white.
The parade not only gathers people of Irish origin but also others to participate on the streets. Last year, during a freezing, snow-and-rain weather, Korean dancers appeared on the parade along with Morris Dancers from England.
Below photo report illustrates Irish people having fun on the streets of Vancouver in last year.
2009 St. Patrick's Day Parade: Greetings from Vancouver City Council to the community of Irish people.
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2009 St. Patrick's Day Parade: Irish musicians on the streets of Vancouver.
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2009 St. Patrick's Day Parade: In Gaelic colours.
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2009 St. Patrick's Day Parade: There's always a pint of Guinness (or two...) at the end of this parade.
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2009 St. Patrick's Day Parade: Korean performers, very well embedded in Irish celebration.
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2009 St. Patrick's Day Parade: English Morris Dancers dancing on wet streets.
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2009 St. Patrick's Day Parade: Scottish marching band in panoramic mode, as wide as Georgia Street, Vancouver.
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