For him, St. Patrick's Day parade is one long 'labor of love'

0 Comments | USA TODAY, March, 2008 | by Craig Wilson

A husband and father, John P. Forbes runs a family business, Colonial Couriers, in Savannah, Ga. But there has to be something a little mad about him. Otherwise, why would the 39-year-old head up the city's St. Patrick's Day parade committee? His mission as general chairman: Keep the line moving. "You typically don't do it more than two years," he says with a chuckle. The parade is a 184-year-old tradition, and it's huge. Forbes' committee is 750-strong. The party around it is even larger, known for better or worse as one of the biggest beer bashes in the South. The parade is early this year -- March 14 -- to avoid Holy Week. USA TODAY's Craig Wilson looks into Forbes' world.

Q: So, how much time does this job take?

A: From December through March, it's pretty...