Grab your green and get ready! Lexington is going to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

It kicks off with the 2021 Blowfish Shamrock Parade at 2 pm, Saturday. Mar. 13, on Main Street Lexington.

The parade review will be at O’Hara’s with The Lake 93.2 FM’s Brent Johnson as emcee. The iconic Joe Pinner will be honored as Emeritus Emcee.

Parade Grand Marshal will be WCOS radio’s Jonathan Rush. After the parade, Irish festivities and Irish food will be available and the popular Prettier Than Matt Band will play at O’Hara’s Irish Pub. A free “shamrockin” concert by SYR – Celtic Folk Rock will be at Icehouse Amphitheater.

Festivities continue on St. Patrick’s Day, Wednesday, the 17th. Tokyo Joe will hold a concert 7-10 pm in the back of O’Hara’s with tents, stage and again, Irish food. Grab your green and join us for fun and food!

Planning committee included: Matt O’Hara, Rick Hazewinkel, Walker Brewer, Dan Hennigan, Laurin Barnes, Chris Farley, Patrick Montgomery, Kelly Shackelford, Matt Jinnette and the Blowfish staff.

ON MARCH 20, Tokyo Joe will play at the Icehouse for the Lexington Firefighter Spring Festival, benefiting the Jeff Chavis House. Jeff was a Lexington firefighter who lost his life in the line of duty while fighting a residential fire. The house near the burn center in Augusta is a place where burn patients’ families can stay at no cost.

Mayor Steve MacDougall says: “It’s that time of year when things start to pick up again. We will kick off the spring season with numerous events, debut the Icehouse Amphitheater Pavilion and look forward to opening Gibson Pond Park again.”

HAS SPRING sprung? It was another weekend of sun and fun outdoors. Many took to the dam to walk, jog and exercise their dogs. People gladly got out of their homes to catch warm rays.

ANNE BULL asks if you remember the Art Linkletter segment called, “Kids say the Darndest Things”? Children still keep us amused with their sayings. In a social media post, a kindergarten teacher told of some of the clever terminology her students used: a jet ski is a boater-cycle; slippers are pajama shoes; and a watch is a clock bracelet.

THANK GOODNESS we are finished with February, the month with our coldest and messiest weather. They say God made February the shortest month for this reason. Now we are beginning to see glimmers of spring everywhere. Daffodils are our most reliable signs, blooming everywhere around us, demanding little care or attention. Do you know the difference between daffodils and jonquils? Jonquils tend to be fragrant and have more than one flower per stem.

This week begins the rollout of the new 1-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine. More shots can help stop the spread.

LOU KENNEDY and Rob Godfrey report they were honored to have Gov. Henry McMaster visit Nephron Pharmaceuticals last week and tour their vaccine drive thru.

BIRTHDAY NEWS on our own Murray Price. Family, neighbors, police and town officials gathered Wednesday to celebrate his 100th birthday. Mr. Price is a Lexington native and WWII veteran B-24 pilot.

His family arranged a birthday lunch at his house and Mr. Price rode in a golf cart to meet his neighbors where another surprise was in store. A caravan of Lexington police officers turned onto his street with flashing lights and sirens blaring to join the fun.

Lexington High’s JROTC presented the colors and Lexington Mayor Steve MacDougall and Police Chief Terrence Green presented him with the key to the city.

Asked how it felt turning 100, he joked, “If I would have known it was so much fun, I’d have done it sooner!”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Laura McMahan, Jerry Griffin, Angelle LaBorde, Emily Wright, Charles Gatch, Lee Pitcovich, Matt Beyer, Yusef Jenkins, Brandon Bodie, Elizabeth Trenbeath, Jennifer Stewart, Sarah Richey, Brent Weaver, Miriam Lovett, Joseph Monts, Walker Lindler, Effie Sons, Suzanne Wilkins, Miranda DiMarco, Alena Senf, Gary Cazier, Jolie Hiers, Barbara Byers, Bailey Brown, Norman Boyd, Clint Spence, Pat Bank, Marian Fowler, Mary Gaskins, Julie Gies, Marti Hartley, Jonathan Howell, Addie Schneider, Grace Kolb, Hampton Smith, Stephen Wenzell, Sydney Corbacho, Steve Hobson, Rachel Hamby, Bailey King, Dillon Marchant, Whitney Brock, Brad Cordell, Marie Juhl, Linda King, Suzy Loney, Julie McCaskill, Chris Perry and Paul Rouillard.