In the first of a number of events that will share the team's Super Bowl success with fans across the region, the Patriots will bring the Vince Lombardi Trophy to Northern New England this Sunday as part of the Ninth Annual Manchester St. Patrick's Mega Parade in Manchester, N.H. Accompanying the trophy that has come to symbolize the ultimate in teamwork and the highest achievement in the world of football will be wide receiver Bethel Johnson and defensive lineman Ty Warren, a pair of Patriots rookies who played a key role in bringing a world title back to New England.
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"We have tremendous fans throughout New England and are grateful for the many wonderful invitations that have been extended to our organization by city and state officials throughout New England," Patriots Owner **Robert Kraft** said. "We appreciate the opportunity to include the Lombardi Trophy in this weekend's St. Patrick's Day Parade in Manchester. It will give tens of thousands of our fans in New Hampshire an opportunity to see the most coveted trophy in football and one of the most prized possessions in sports."
The parade begins this Sunday, March 21, at noon at the New Hampshire Tower Building located at 1750 Elm Street in Manchester and proceeds through the downtown area before disbanding at the corner of Elm and Auburn Streets, one block past the Verizon Wireless Arena. Spectators may begin placing chairs along the parade route two hours before the procession begins.
"We have a couple of young ambassadors who are excited to bring the Lombardi Trophy to the fans of New Hampshire and are looking forward to this weekend's parade," Patriots executive director of media relations Stacey James said. "It is a real honor to be invited and is a great way to kickoff our second trophy tour."
The Vince Lombardi Trophy was renamed for the former Packers coach/general manager in 1971. It is handcrafted by Tiffany & Co. and is valued in excess of $12,500. It stands 22 inches tall, weighs seven pounds and takes more than 72 hours to craft.
This first leg of the trophy tour across Patriots Nation will be followed up by a trip to Portland, Maine that is currently scheduled for April 7
