Dysart Mayor Tim Glenn smiles during the third annual Iowa’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade which took place at noon in downtown Dysart last Saturday. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

DYSART – There was plenty of green to go around in downtown Dysart last Saturday as ‘Iowa’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade’ marched exactly one block of Main Street for the third year in a row.

The last two years the parade has been held on St. Patrick’s Day – March 17 – but was moved up by a day this year in order to accommodate more people’s schedules.

Turnout for the noon ‘participation parade’ looked to be at a record high thanks to sunny skies, no snow, and the new date. Temperatures hovered around 50’F but wicked gales from the northeast certainly made it feel colder.

While there were no bagpipers this year, Mayor Tim Glenn struck the appropriate chord by wearing both a kilt and an orange beard.

In addition to the mayor, the front of the parade featured Dysart Police Chief Joe Hols in his cruiser followed by Dysart resident Don Lyons in a St. Patrick’s Day-bedecked golf cart driven by Dysart City Councilor Jenn Alpers.

The third annual ‘Iowa’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade’ heads down one block of Main Street last Saturday under blue skies and the watchful, lucky eye of Mayor Tim Glenn (right). PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Plenty of families with young children also marched in the parade including those with Little Knights Learning Center-Dysart Campus.

Dysart Ambulance, a Dysart Fire & Rescue truck, and Tama County Sheriff’s Deputy Casey Schmidt along with K-9 Officer Tyson brought up the rear of the parade.

Don Lyons smiles while riding in a St. Patrick’s Day-bedecked golf cart driven by Jenn Alpers during last Saturday’s third annual St. Patrick’s Day parade held in downtown Dysart. The parade was held a day early this year in an effort to allow more participation from the local community. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Tama County Sheriff's Deputy Casey Schmidt smiles after bringing up the rear of the third annual 'Iowa's Shortest St. Patrick's Day Parade' in Dysart on Saturday, March 16. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER