Writer Adrienne Cook described St. Patrick's Day as a time to begin transforming winter's dreams into summer's magic. The weather was good today, and the turnout was large for the annual St. Patrick's Day parade in downtown Twin Falls.

Business owners and vendors who were in downtown Twin Falls today anticipated a few thousand people to take in the Saint Patrick’s Day parade and festivities.

For some, the holiday is more than a chance to wear green. It’s about culture.

One Twin Falls resident said, "Started the day with some corned beef cabbage, followed by some green beer and probably some Guinness’s."

It's also about history and family. O’Dunken’s Owner Steve O’Conner said, "It's time to celebrate for the freedom of Ireland and all the repression the Irish have taken in all these years."

Twin Falls Resident Kelly Kiggins said, "My grandma is a Reed, her whole family came from Ireland, they immigrated here and so we have a lot of Irish background."

Others took the parade as an opportunity to combine work with a passion for art. With so many children on Main Street today, Amy Windle painted more than 30 children's faces even before the parade started.

Gwen Ruggles was selling live shamrock plants in order to be able to purchase cake-decorating supplies for the 4-H club.

She said, "You can wear them, refrigerate them and plant them indoors or outside."