St. Pat’s parade Sunday in Inverness

INVERNESS — Sunny O’Cooter spent the week searching the streets of Inverness for the one lucky four-leaf clover — and he found it.

He can’t tell you where, but he can give you a hint: somewhere along the route of Cooter Pond up East Main Street and around Courthouse Square and down Pine Street.

Does Sunny know that is the same route as the third annual Inverness St. Patrick’s Day Parade this Sunday in downtown Inverness?  Beginning at 5:30 p.m., the “feel-good, hometown parade” will bring 54 entries  to splash Inverness with a wee bit of luck and charm.

“It’s a hometown parade but the enthusiasm from people coming out for this is seriously blowing my mind,” said Sharon Skeele-Hogan, special events director for the city of Inverness.

Sunny — the city’s mascot — will be present, donning his finest green attire and celebrating with the many participating organizations.

Irish dancers, horses and buggies, bagpipers, go karts, prancing horses, clowns, the Sun Devils Bugle and Drum Corps, the School of Dance Arts, the Citrus Hills Line Dancers, the Central Florida Irish Wolf Hound Association, floats and much more are expected.

Bark Central Dog Park will sponsor the Mutt Strut — decked-out pooches that march in the parade.

“It is heart-warming hometown goodness,” Skeele-Hogan said. “It is going to be off the hook, and we are already planning for next year with a full weekend of activities.”

Dot Fitzpatrick, of one of Inverness’ longtime Irish families, will encourage the true Irish spirit as she leads the parade as the grand marshal.

For information, visit www.inverness-fl.gov. For information on joining the parade with your pooch, email George Bryant at info@barkcentraldogpark.com or call 352-341-BARK.

Contact Chronicle reporter Eryn Worthington at 352-563-5660, ext. 1334, or eworthington@chronicleonline.com.