Rhode Island’s Shortest St. Paddy’s Parade Welcomes Troy Brown

Grab your green and your small-town pride—Adamsville in Little Compton, Rhode Island, is gearing up for its fourth annual World’s Shortest St. Paddy’s Day Parade.

On Sunday, March 16, an 89-foot measuring tape will mark both the start and finish of this remarkably small yet mighty parade, dedicated to giving back.

What started as a fun family idea has turned into a community favorite, raising over $20,000 for local food banks in Little Compton, Tiverton, Westport, and Fall River.

“We never thought it would grow to this,” said Chuck Kinnane, one of the parade’s organizers. “We started this as a joke, and now it’s unbelievable. The amount of support we’ve gotten is amazing, and as long as people want us to keep doing it, we’ll keep putting it together.”

This year’s Grand Marshals are the Griffin Family, and the Guest of Honor is none other than Troy Brown, three-time Super Bowl champion and New England Patriots Hall of Famer. Brown will help open the parade, fulfilling a dream pick by Kinnane’s father.

“For so many people, he’s one of the all-time favorite Patriots—the ‘original Tom Brady,’ as our Grand Marshal Tim Griffin likes to say,” Kinnane added.

Longtime parade staple James Manning will once again serve as the Official All-Time Ribbon Cutter.

A Star-Studded Lineup

The pre and post parade’s entertainment lineup is stacked, featuring Rhode Island band Sharks Come Cruisin’, Boston’s Celtic quartet Scottish Fish, piping rock group Pipe Dream, and The Little Compton Band.

A float contest will also add to the fun, with a surprise celebrity judge—Perry Blake, the production designer behind nearly every Happy Madison film.

“He’s built the worlds for basically all of Adam Sandler’s movies, and he loved the idea of the parade and the good cause,” Kinnane said.

The Afterparty

Following the parade, Bootleg BBQ in Westport is hosting a corned beef dinner and concert to continue raising funds for the food banks. Pre-sale dinner tickets have already sold out, but concert and drink tickets are still available.

“All the money raised from the concert goes to the food banks,” Kinnane emphasized.

A Rivalry With Hot Springs

While Adamsville’s parade prides itself on being the World’s Shortest St. Paddy’s Day Parade, Hot Springs, Arkansas, has its own claim to the title.

“We heard they’re sending some spies up here this year to make sure we’re measuring correctly,” Kinnane confirmed, "This is absolutely true."

Plan Ahead

With the parade’s growing popularity, parking is the biggest challenge.

“There’s very limited parking in the village, but some local businesses are opening up their lots to us,” Kinnane advised.

The parade kicks off at 3:00 PM, but with only 89 feet to march, arriving early is key to catching the action, including performances by local Irish step dancers.

Part of a Historic Year

This year’s parade is also an official event in the Town of Little Compton’s 350th Anniversary celebration, adding an extra layer of significance to the festivities.

Whether you're there for the music, the floats, or just the sheer curiosity of an 89-foot-long parade, Adamsville’s World’s Shortest St. Paddy’s Day Parade has established into a beloved tradition, all while making a big impact on the local and surrounding community.