We ventured to the Irish Channel for the St. Patrick’s Day festivities earlier this month. We caught cabbage, kissed strangers for flowers and danced a jig in the streets. Good times.

Thank goodness for these parade-going tips from Kim Smelter of New Girl in NOLA.

PS – you are free to use these images under a Creative Commons license for noncommercial purposes as long as you credit NewinNOLA.com and link back to the site.

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

Rob Ryan at the St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

Rob Ryan at the St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

Rob Ryan at the St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

Rob Ryan at the St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

Rob Ryan at the St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Channel (photo by Carlie Kollath Wells / New in NOLA)

These images are free to use under a Creative Commons license for noncommercial purposes as long as you credit NewinNOLA.com and link back to the site.