Renowned drummer and Peterborough native, Neil Sanderson, has been appointed as the Honorary Parade Marshal for the 21st annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade scheduled for March 17.
Sanderson is best known as the drummer of Three Days Grace. His career spans more than two decades and includes Juno Awards and Billboard chart-topping hits.
“I'm honoured that I got asked to be the grand marshal of this year's Peterborough St. Patrick's Day Parade. I got a phone call from my good friend Tim Burke, who's a staple in the community and someone I've known since I was a teenager,” said Sanderson “Once I heard the news, the first thing that I said was, yes, of course, I'd be happy to. The second thing I said, was now what do I do?”
Sanderson will ride in a limousine and wave to the community along the parade route.
“I'll be holding the AUX cable for the limos and hopefully it's got a banging system,” joked Sanderson
Sanderson explained he’d also be happy to perform at some point during the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, but doesn't want to take attention away from the marching bands. He recalled fond memories of attending the parade as a child and looks forward to bringing his kids this year.
Sanderson is taking over the reigns as Honorary Parade Marshal from TV personality and Peterborough native Dan O’Toole who served last year. O'Toole is a former Canadian television sports anchor who was last employed by TSN.
Sanderson expressed that if the opportunity presented itself, he would be happy to assume the role of marshal year-after-year.
“Yes, 100 per cent. If I’m not on tour, I am available for the St Patrick’s Day Parade,” he said.
This year’s parade is anticipated to have a record-breaking number of entries, explained Tim Burke, parade committee chair. Last year’s parade was also one of the largest, with 87 entries, he added.
“I'm already at 77 and we're still two months out,” he said. “So, while it's a lofty goal, we have a shot at hitting 100 this year.”
The St Patrick’s Day Parade has always been incredibly popular in Peterborough, stated Burke, due in part to the large Irish population.
“The last census was done showed that we are the most Irish town in Canada,” he said. “62 per cent of people in Peterborough have Irish roots.”
Burke hopes even more entries will sign up in the next couple of months. Those who are interested can visit the Peterborough St. Patrick's Day Parade website at PSPDP.com for more details.