The streets of Newport are set to welcome back a longtime tradition ahead of this year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, as reported by WPRI. Newport Mayor Xay Khamsyvoravong and Newport Fire Chief Harp Donnelly IV participated in the customary painting of green stripes on the divider line outside City Hall. The parade usually takes off from Newport City Hall, and while the entire parade’s length will not be adorned with the green stripes, the city will be applying green paint to the divider line running through the historically Irish Fifth Ward neighborhood’s Thames Street. This is the first year since the pandemic that the city has painted the green stripe. Donnelly’s father, former Newport Mayor Harp Donnelly III, started this tradition. Donnelly will serve as the Grand Marshal of the parade, which will set off from Newport City Hall at 11 a.m. on Saturday.