Blog
02.17
How the Maverick Saved St. Patrick's Day
For those new to Dallas/Fort Worth: Welcome.
Now that we got that out of the way, if you have been here for any amount of time, you know the bucket list events in this fare burgh - State Fair, JFK Memorial, Sundance Square, Southfork Ranch, and sample the culinary scene in this town.
However, since 1979, the benchmark of Big D is the Greenville Ave. St. Patty's Parade. I'm a lifelong resident of the beloved land (Go Colony Cougars and Mean Green), and this was the spot to hang with thousands of my new friends...and the others that filed temporary restraining orders on me. But enough about that.
In the mid-80s, the city began a lovely tradition that they carry out to this day - being prodigious party poopers. The parade was cancelled without cause, so a band of business brothers put their heads - and wallets - together so the parade could continue without debt or sponsor. In the 90s, the great Dallas Observer became the chief benefactor for almost a decade.
Recently, the sponsors have dried up and the funds don't flow as freely as the adult beverages do on that fabled day. The parade was at risk of being cancelled permanently. There were fundraising events and marketing campaigns, but to no avail, this economy sucks and the parade needed 40 LARGE to pay for the police, barricades and tow trucks... eh, food.
What was a city to do? Pray...and look what happened. From the Dallas Observer story:
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has cut a $40,000 check to the Greenville Avenue Area Business Association to save the parade, while pledging another $25,000 to the parade's scholarship fund.
And you thought him bringing a championship basketball team here would make him a legend? This will give him a statue outside Snuffers.
Cubes, on behalf of all the native Texans here at HCK2 (and yes, those who got here as fast as they could), THANK YOU!!! Remember to toast to the Mavs and Cuban with that green beer, Dallas.
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