Oh Darthy Boy.....

What says HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY more than Bagpipers, Irish Dancers, or red nosed politicians in green clover ties?

Why, Stormtroopers, of course!

Yesterday was Boston's annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Southie, and as usual, the Stormtroopers and Darth (Mc)Vader marched, representing outerspace's version of how St. Patrick drove snakes out of Ireland. Hans Solo, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia were noticeably absent, but then again, they didn't get along with Darth's cronies much. I expect those three will march in Charlestown's Bunker Hill Day instead.

Regardless of my paralyzing fear of reinactors of any kind, I have been fascinated by the Stormtroopers representation on this very Irish day, so have done my research and have uncovered the mystery surrounding them that has eluded me all these years. The group is officially called 'The 501st New England", and are a Star Wars costuming fan club, specifically dressing as Stormtroopers, Snowtroopers, Bounty Hunters and Sith Lords. NERD ALERT! The 501st has a worldwide membership that is 4,000+ and growing, and the 501st New England has 94 members and if you are at least 18 and have a 'movie quality Imperial costume', you too can join! I feel for the short guy who joins, I imagine the ranking officers of the 501st would make him be R2D2. I fear my excessive height would require me to be Chewbacca, when I would really want to be Leia, so I'm not joining.

In addition to having fun in costume (I guess), they also enjoy helping the community by appearing at charity events, children's hospital events, fundraisers and conventions. Lemme tellya somethin', if I were a sick child in hospital and a Stormtrooper came in yielding a weapon I don't think that would make me feel better. One interesting appearance they made was at the "Slanted Fedora" Event in Framingham. Mobsters and Stormtroopers? Sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Their hearts are certainly in the right place, and they enjoy dressing up as the toys they played with as kids. It's just good clean fun so you can't fault them at all for it. (That's me trying to be a good person after I called them all nerds.)

P.S. Sebastian Schnuelle is in 2nd place. Just had to give one little itty bitty Iditarod update as I am so over it.