Ventura’s Eyes Smile on Paradin’ o’ the Green : St. Patrick’s Day: The annual celebration draws an appreciative audience to downtown.

The pig was back this year.

Bobbing along silently and majestically--as majestically as possible for a 20-foot inflated green pig--above the Ventura St. Patrick’s Day parade, the pig was big with 4-year-old Danny Goodman. Really big.

“Green piggy!” the Ventura boy exclaimed proudly. “I love green piggies!”

Next to Danny on the curb of Main Street sat his mother, Linda Goodman, who deadpanned: “Yes, we come for the green pig.”

As the porcine symbol of Irish good luck inched its way down Main Street on Saturday morning, green-clad spectators clapped, cheered and waved while participants carried on the venerable tradition of the parade shuffle:

March slowly for half a block, then stop and stand for a few minutes. Repeat steps one and two until the parade route is completed. And watch out for the horse manure along the way.

Shuffling would not, however, suffice for the grand marshals: the Claddagh Dancers, a group of children who showed off their mastery of Irish dancing’s intricate and disciplined footwork.

Of course, green was the day’s predominant color, and 2-year-old Eric Goodman, Danny’s brother, was not to be outdone. His mouth and tongue, both bright green from munching candy, matched his sweat shirt.

Vietnam veterans marched. Shiny Ford Model A’s weaved their way along the parade route, although one that was faded and looked a bit tired fell by the wayside. Marching bands from area high schools marched stoically and professionally. The Boys & Girls Club of Ventura formed its own band, its members marching in matching jackets.

Local politicians rode in convertibles and waved. The children of the San Buenaventura Boxing Club got rousing applause as they shadow-boxed by. The Ventura College Pirates, newly crowned state basketball champions, also received a warm reception. And then there was the reggae band.

“What the hell is that?” sputtered Kathleen Keany, an Oxnard retiree, plugging her ears as the band rolled by on a tractor-trailer and belted out tunes.

Dressed in a snappy light green suit, the New York City native of Irish heritage stood with her English neighbor, Dawn Vodka.

“Who says the Irish and English don’t get along?” Keany asked. “We do associate with one another. In fact, last night we drank quite a bit of Irish coffee.”

Once the parade finished its six-block route, many people meandered to Mission Park, where organizers hosted the first-ever festival to follow the seventh annual parade.

There were food booths selling sausages, corned beef sandwiches and Irish coffees, as well as Harp and Guinness beer. A beer jockey said Guinness sales were pulling ahead slightly of Harp.

The Claddagh Dancers kicked off the festival, dancing in groups and individually while folks watched and applauded.

The children were energetic and said they weren’t at all bashful about performing in front of hundreds of people.

“No, we’re never shy,” said Sam Baumer, 13, who lives in Ventura. Dancing has become such a large part of his life that the Claddagh Dancers were on hand at his bar mitzvah last August. “It was a dance-theme bar mitzvah,” Sam said.

Whether the dancers are shy or not, the rigorous and disciplined steps can be tiring. “It gets kind of hard sometimes,” said dancer Katie Carmody, 13, of Ventura. “Especially when we were going uphill a little bit.”

And on a slight incline that overlooked the festivities, Junior Lopez calmly pronounced the event a success. “Everything’s quite nice,” said the Oxnard resident as his children Marly, 5, and Adrian, 4, rolled down the hill in front of him. “I like the ambience.”

The winners of this year’s parade were:

* Social Services: first place, Center Church; second place, United Blood Services.

* Business and Commercial: first place, Claddagh School of Irish Dancing; second place, Greenway School of Irish Dance.

* Equestrian: first place, Las Mujeras; second place, Sharon Lindsay.

* Clubs and Organizations: first place, Boys & Girls Club of Ventura; second place, Christopher House.

* Individual: first place, Electric Jigger Bug; second place, Noel Kelly Tractor.

* Music: first place, Pipe Band, Los Angeles District; second place, Oxnard Union High School Band.

* Humor: first place, Timetripper Folklore Society; second place, SCAT.

* Sweepstakes: Boys & Girls Club of Ventura.