Yes it is that time of year as we prepare for the 31st Snake Saturday parade and festival, but did you know the events start months before? If you want to enter the parade you need to visit SnakeSaturday.com and sign up.

The month of January and February while everyone is signing up to be a part of the parade the committees and board of directors are busy preparing for March 14. But before we get to the day of the parade and the festival we have a few events which occur and make up the entire Snake Saturday event. The 2015 Parade Theme: A Little Bit O Blarney!

The first event is the Grand Marshal Celebration held on March 5, 2015 at Finnigan’s Hall. This event we announce the Grand Marshal and the Shamrock Award winners, both whom take a major role in the parade. We celebrate with food and drink and music and Irish dancing.

March 7 is a fun event, the annual Lad and Lassie contest. This contest is for 2-4 years old boys and girls for “Little Lad” or “Little Lassie” title and ages 5-7 compete for “Lad” or “Lassie” title. Children are judged based on “Irish spirit” and charm. Costumes are not required, but an “Irish flair” is suggested. Winners ride on a float in the parade the following week.

The night before the parade on Friday March 13 is the annual Charity Cookoff event for 501c3s to earn a little money. The requirement is to compete in a steak cookoff. This event is always fun and the steak is provided by Northland Festivals via US Food. All the charity has to do is sign up, pay the entry fee, and come have fun cooking a steak.

Then on March 14 bright and early the events of the day start. Those in the parade are headed to staging. C.A.R.B. is busy parking racecars for their annual car show started by Clyde Ellis in 1977. This event is known as the Clyde Ellis Race On in honor of the 2008 Grand Marshal. A carnival and numerous kids activities can be found in the festival area. C.A.R.B. will also be giving away bicycles that afternoon. The Festival alone is a full day of fun, but wait isn’t there a parade.

The parade begins at 11:00 A.M. and starts at 14th and Swift north to Armour Road the east to Howell and back south. This year the parade will include a new entry, weather permitting. Usually we have 120 plus entries which makes for an hour and half parade. This parade always occurs the Saturday before St. Patrick’s day and is the pride and joy of North Kansas City.

Plan now to be a part of the festivities, either the parade, as a parade entrant, as a race driver displaying your car, as a 501c3, as lad or lassie, as sponsor, as volunteer, as whatever you would like to be. Visit www.snakesaturday.com to sign up for your event or find your place as part of this event.