Editor's note: The City of Dublin announced the 2022 St. Patrick’s Day Parade is canceled for Saturday, March 12 due to the forecasted freezing temperatures and high winds.
Instead, the City will host a community celebration on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, when the forecast is more favorable. Read more here.
Courtesy of the City of Dublin
Keiko and Yoshihiro Hidaka will lead the City of Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade as the 2022 Grand Leprechauns on March 12.
“We are extremely excited to have this opportunity to represent Dublin,” Yoshihiro says. “We are incredibly happy to do what we can for the Dublin community, so in that respect, we are very Irish. We understand how important this role is for the community and we will do our best to fulfill the responsibilities of this position.”
After moving from Michigan to Upper Arlington in 1990, the Hidakas immediately made their presence known.
Yoshihiro’s impact on the Dublin community has transpired over several years. Since 2008, he’s served on the Japan American Society of Central Ohio board of directors and is currently serving as a member of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce board of directors and Dublin Methodist Hospital development board.
He’s also served the community with higher-quality car prototypes for decades as president and CEO of Hidaka USA, Inc., a sheet metal fabrication company. In 2014, he was named business person of the year by the Dublin Chamber of Commerce for his work with that company and in the community.
“The City of Dublin welcomed my business when we started it in 1991,” Yoshihiro says. “Hidaka USA, Inc. approaches each project as an opportunity to provide our customers with a quality product. We feel, by providing this service, we have earned a reputation of excellence.”
In the spring, as more than 120 cherry trees bloom on the company property, the Hidakas host an annual Cherry Tree Luncheon, related to the Japanese tradition Hanami, that celebrates Japanese culture in Dublin. Guests gather to observe the rebirth and new beginnings the trees bring.
“Yoshi and I started this event in 2008 as a luncheon to express our gratitude to the City of Dublin,” Keiko says. “It has grown into an opportunity for us to share our passion of the cherry blossom trees with the City of Dublin as well as other local officials and business acquaintances. We are so grateful we can share a piece of our culture.”
Another way Keiko shares her culture is through art and educational activities. For 20 years, she has volunteered to demonstrate Japanese tea ceremonies at elementary schools and colleges, she says.
Keiko also served as a member of the Dublin Arts Council board of directors from 2017 to 2021 and was a part of the committee campaigning in support of the Dublin library branch.
The Hidakas made significant fundraising contributions to the Dublin branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library in 2019. When the Dublin Branch opened, the couple were both among the ribbon cutters.
“Keiko and I try to do what we can for the local community,” Yoshihiro says. “We both felt this library would be a powerful addition to Dublin.”
The Hidakas will preside over a return to normal for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
Last year, Dublin had its first-ever “reverse parade” due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the parade floats and fixtures remained in place, viewers drove through the parade route instead of spectating from the street. The arrangement allowed attendees to safely enjoy the parade from their vehicles without gathering closely in crowds of people.
The Grand Leprechaun tradition started in 1984 and has continued every year since. The individuals or couple awarded this honor must meet certain criteria, such as being an active leader in the community and making significant contributions to the Dublin community.
This year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade will take place at 11 a.m. on March 12. Find more information here.
Mariah Muhammad is an editorial assistant. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
