HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — While major cities like New York and Chicago kindle massive St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, Hot Springs, Arkansas, has carved out its own unique niche with an intriguing claim to fame: the World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade, stretching just 98 feet (30 meters).
This annual event drew thousands to the streets on Monday, building a spirited tradition over the past two decades. The parade has attracted celebrity participants, including this year’s guests, actor Valerie Bertinelli and rap legend Flavor Flav.
Steve Arrison, CEO of Visit Hot Springs, explains that the parade concept originated in 2003 during a gathering with friends at a downtown venue. “We were drinking adult beverages and asked, why not have a parade?” he recounted.
The parade debuted the following year, attracting about 1,500 attendees, and now boasts over 30,000 spectators each St. Patrick’s Day.
Despite its brevity, the parade features a vibrant lineup of 40 floats and includes 100 members from the International Order of the Marching Irish Elvi, a troupe of Elvis impersonators.
This year, participants also celebrated the local chapter of the International Society of Helen Ropers, who donned costumes inspired by the beloved 1970s sitcom, “Three’s Company.”
Celebrity appearances have become routine, with grand marshals like Kevin Bacon and George Wendt gracing the event in past years. This time, Bertinelli served as grand marshal while Flav kicked off the festivities as the official starter.
“We’re not doing small stuff here. This is big,” declared Bertinelli prior to the parade.
Flav, known for his iconic clock necklace, wore a green version of the accessory as he danced down the parade route, celebrating his birthday with enthusiastic crowd interactions. “I can have fun in a five-foot parade. Ninety-eight feet gives me a little bit more time to have more fun,” he remarked.
Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders added to the spectacle, throwing beads to excited spectators as they rode in cars.
Additional festivities included a concert and a quirky “Blarney Stone kissing contest.” Before the parade commenced, an official measurement of the route reaffirmed its title as the shortest, marked by a bugler from a local horse track and casino.
Chuck Last, a parade enthusiast from Wisconsin, shared his sentiments: “I’ve been to Chicago, I’ve been to Savannah, Georgia. I like this one better than any of them,” reflecting on his experience at the past two parades.
In recent years, other parades have attempted to claim the title of shortest, including competing events in New York and a 78-foot parade planned in Bemidji, Minnesota. Hot Springs also engages in friendly rivalry with Adamsville, Rhode Island, which boasts an 89-foot (27-meter) route. However, Arrison dismisses their claim, emphasizing that their parade occurs the day before St. Patrick’s Day.
He also highlighted that the Hot Springs parade has officially copyrighted the title “World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade,” solidifying its unique standing in the celebration of Irish heritage.
