It’s just a few days until the 20th annual Dyngus Day parade, and expectations for this year’s event already are riding high.
Polish Cadets Vice President James Johnson expects this year to be the biggest yet and hopes to see the event keep growing. There’s potential for Dyngus Day to reach the scale of St. Patrick’s Day or Mardi Gras in the future, at least on a local scale, he added.
“If you Polish, Irish, German, Russian, doesn't matter. But it's all about everyone getting together," Johnson said. "Everyone’s Polish on Dyngus Day, even if you're not. But it's just a good time, it's a celebration, and it's a sign of spring is here.”
The Polish Cadets building is on Grant Street in North Buffalo, it’s extra important for the group to participate in the parade further south, where people otherwise might not be as aware if the nonprofit didn’t build a float," Johnson said.
The Dyngus Day Dash starts at noon Monday near the Central Terminal, and the parade begins at 5:30 p.m. at Broadway and Memorial Drive.
Johnson adds that instead of being overly competitive, the parade-float process promotes a sense of community.
"If you want to help building something, tell me what your budget is, and I'll brainstorm you (an idea)," he said. "Me, and my son will come and help you build a float. Just that way, it makes it bigger than what it is."
