Hot Springs and Adamsville, R.I., Reach a Truce, Agree That Each Town Does Indeed Have Shortest Parade | Hot Springs National Park Arkansas

HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK, Arkansas — Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas, and the charming village of Adamsville, Rhode Island, have reached a truce in their brief but amiable contretemps over which has the shortest parade held on March 17 of each year.

The issue arose a week ago when organizers of the First Ever 21st Annual World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade® in Hot Springs responded with a gentle reminder to Adamsville about which city really has the shortest parade.

The reminder was issued in response to an article on the Internet that reported the Irish band Green Road would perform in Adamsville at what the town calls the World’s Shortest St. Paddy’s Day Parade.

Steve Arrison, CEO of Visit Hot Springs, the city’s convention and visitors bureau, and one of the parade’s founders, pointed out that Hot Springs’ little 98-foot parade, which began in 2004, was more of an actual parade, since it annually attracts 30,000 fans to the city’s 98-foot Bridge Street, the World’s Shortest Street in Everyday Use, according to Ripley’s Believe It or Not.

Adamsville’s 89-foot parade takes place on a segment of a longer thoroughfare.

Charles Kinnane, a film director with Kinnane Brothers and founder of the Adamsville parade, responded good-naturedly and the back-and-forth between the two towns quickly spread internationally through traditional media and the Internet.

“Soon enough, Chuck and I discovered that our little ‘dispute’ had proved to be a publicity bonanza for both towns,” Arrison said, “and we quickly became long-distance friends.”

After a few days Arrison and Kinnane arrived at an amiable way to solve the matter.

“We agreed that Adamsville does, in fact, have The World’s Shortest St. Paddy’s Day Parade and that Hot Springs does, in fact, have the World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade®,” Arrison said. “That settles the ‘dispute.’”

“It turns out that Chuck Kinnane is such a great guy, we here in Hot Springs have invited him and some of his fellow parade organizers to come down here and see for themselves what their own parade might turn into some day,” Arrison said.

Kinnane responded that “We love all the good fun this has inspired, and our Grand Marshals actually mentioned that they could come as ambassadors of good will some day. Lots of love from our community to yours.

“We are happy to make peace for the sake of the 30,000 people headed to Hot Springs for what they believe is the World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade®.”

“What a great guy,” Arrison said. “We return Chuck’s wish for good will and look forward to hosting him some day.”

The First Ever 21st Annual World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade® will take place Sunday, March 17, on 98-foot Bridge Street. This year’s celebrity grand marshal will be Emmitt Smith, the legendary Dallas Cowboys running back. Forrie J. Smith, who plays the loveable Lloyd on the “Yellowstone” TV series, will fire the starter’s pistol.

Country music star Pat Green will kick off the weekend of fun on Saturday, March 16, with a free public concert on the Bridge Street Stage. The Third Ever World’s Shortest Footrace — the Zero K — will be held Saturday afternoon preceding Green’s concert. Popular cover band The Molly Ringwalds will perform a free concert immediately following Sunday’s parade.

For more information call Steve Arrison at 501-321-2027.