Twenty-five years through Buffalo's "Old Neighborhood."
That's what thousands of Western New Yorkers celebrated Saturday afternoon, with the 25th Annual Old First Ward St. Patrick's Day Parade.
South Park, Smith Street, Elk Street, Hamburg Street and South Street were flooded with green-clad celebrators.
On this day, everyone says they're Irish, but the annual St. Patrick's weekend celebration honors the local Irish culture as well.
Take, for example, the relatively new business located on the corner of South Park and Hamburg Street.
Once a funeral home, co-owners Sara Heidinger and Bridget Morris opened Undergrounds Coffee House to the tune of an ideal parade-viewing location and a post-parade after-party.
Their goal: a playful coffee house that honors the lives of many Buffalo natives, including a special Irish connection on this national holiday.
"This month is definitely important to me because our monthly sandwich is named after my grandfather," said Morris, referring to March's corned beef sandwich. "My family originally was from the Ward, his father and father before that, so it's kind of a full cycle type thing... So every time somebody orders an 'Ed Shanahan,' I get to hear my grandfather's name, which is really fun for me."
And family ties run deep all across the parade route.
A grandfather himself, lifelong Buffalo native Paul Burakowski got to spend Saturday's traditional parade with his own grandchildren.
"We're so excited to see all the young people here in Buffalo getting to enjoy the same things we did when we were kids," said Burakowski. "This is such a special moment for us, because my grandchildren are here, and my children, and I hope to have my great grandchildren here with me someday."