The South Boston St. Patrick’s Day parade weathered one storm last week, when organizers decided to bar a gay veterans group from marching, then reversed course and allowed them to participate.
Now the parade has to make accommodations following the snowstorm that dumped several inches on the ground earlier this week.
The annual St. Paddy’s Day parade will have a shorter route when it kicks off on Sunday, at 1 p.m., because of thesnow still piled onthe streets.
Parade organizers, along with Boston Police and city officials announced the change Thursday.
The parade will now run from the Broadway MBTA station to East Broadway and Farragut Road. City officials say special viewing areas will be in place for seniors and the disabled.
It has been a tumultuous time for the parade this year.Controversy engulfed the leadup to the event last week, when organizers, the Allied War Veterans Council, said they would not allow a gay veterans group called OutVets, to take part. Organizers said OutVets’ logo, which features a rainbow flag,was in violation of the council’s code of conduct. The gay veterans, OutVets, took their cause to social media, and the issue quickly gained momentum with elected officialsand sponsors denouncing the move, and saying they would not take part. The negative publicity that followed led to a change of course days later, with the organizers extending an invitation to OutVets.
South Boston St. Paddy’s Day parade route shortened because of snow
