More than 40 floats and a 32-foot multi-colored RV from the Outdoor Channel will be among the entries in the Hibernia Marching Society’s annual St. Patrick’s parade in downtown Biloxi Saturday at 2 p.m.
The Outdoor Channel — a 10-year-old national cable outlet catering to hunting, fishing and outdoors programming – has two RVs making the rounds of cable communities throughout the country. The channel is carried on Cable One in neighboring Gulfport.
“We’re flying in Friday and we’ll be staying in Biloxi, and be part of the parades in both Biloxi and Gulfport,” said field event coordinator Tony McComas of the Outdoor Channel, which is available to more than 20 million people nationwide, although no filming is planned at either parade.
“We’re just glad to have them make the trip from California,” said Hibernia parade organizer Joe Romano, who noted Hibernia is celebrating its 25th parade this year.
The parade begins at the Biloxi Yacht Club, travels west on U.S. 90, north on Lameuse Street (where the street has been striped in green for the occasion), west on Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. Boulevard, and south on Reynoir Street.
Colleen Teresa Fernandez and Grand Marshal Dean Holleman, who will headline the parade, recently appeared at a Biloxi City Council meeting with some of Hibernia’s 300 members. Mayor A.J. Holloway, himself a former Hibernia Grand Marshal, proclaimed this week Irish Heritage Week.
Romano, meantime, was hoping for clear skies Saturday. Said he: “I’ve been watching Channel 13, and we might have to straighten out (forecaster) Mike Reeder. It’s not gonna rain on this parade. If we can roll, we’re gonna roll precisely at 2 o’clock when we fire off our miniature cannon at the Biloxi Yacht Club.”
