The Ironworkers‘ float is a perennial favorite of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. This year, they were surrounded by the bike patrol, later in the parade. We don’t know what that was about, but wonder if the photo above provides a clue.

The parade was not just a working class affair. Among the politicians spotted in Capitol Avenue: Mayor Segarra and Governor Malloy.

When Malloy came out, I knew something was up before I even saw him. By the crowd reaction, I was actually expecting that Bieber kid or Lady Gaga. Three women next to me were swooning over the “handsome” governor; a man behind me, a little overzealous, lunged forward and knocked me upside the head pretty hard in an attempt to get a picture. Because he reminds me forever of my high school Civics teacher, I really can’t get giddy in that way about Malloy, yet, like that teacher, he at least seems enthusiastic about the state and his job. I hear that he has been contributing to the local economy by patronizing the Firebox Restaurant, so, that’s cool. I’m just grateful not to have suffered a concussion over him.

I set out a few hours early, thinking I’d get in a nice walk, a ginger tea, and then leisurely find myself a good viewing spot for the parade. Maybe the dismal weather of the past few years caused me to forget how crazy people are about this holiday. While two full hours before a parade seems like ample time to find a spot, there were quite a few people who had already staked out territory.

Nine seems early for a lot of things, but for some, it was not too early to start drinking. Up and down Pratt Street younger folks walked with open bottles of Bud. It was reported that New Haven would be issuing tickets for public drinking; it looked like Hartford began the day without such crackdowns.

Then again? We saw at least two very young people getting a ride in the back of a police car, but we think this might be a reward and not a punishment for them.

It seems like the people wearing the least amount of clothing always have to wait a really long time to get moving. There was a group of twirlers, but I hesitated to take any photos given how utterly inappropriately they were dressed for their age, which was not even close to sixteen. To their credit, they were awesome baton twirlers.

For more photos of the 2011 St. Patrick’s Day Parade, see my Photobucket album.