St. Patrick’s Day is on March 17. This year, that day happens to fall on a Saturday. Those who have Irish heritage are sure to enjoy the Irish fests, St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, and parades that will be taking place this week. This is a great way to honor your heritage, or the heritage of some of your ancestors. Here is where to find a St. Patrick’s Day parade to attend this year.
Chicago, Illinois, will dye the Chicago River an emerald green color on March 17, 2012. This will begin at 10:00 in the morning, and the parade will start soon after. This year, the parade will include 60 floats, 25 marching bands, and more.
Augusta, Georgia, will hold their Thirty-Fifth annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 17, 2012. It will start at 2:00 in the afternoon. It will begin and end at the James Brown Arena. The parade will include bag pipers, Irish dancers, Shriners, local school marching bands, Fort Gordon Signal Corps flagman, the Fort Gordon Signal Corps Band, the Irish-American Heritage Society’s Family of the Year Float, and much more!
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, will have their St. Patrick’s Day parade one week after the holiday, on March 24, 2012. The parade will start at 2:00 in the afternoon. It will begin at Commonwealth Avenue, and will end at North and North Third streets.
York, Pennsylvania, will have its St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 17, 2012. The parade will begin at 1:00 in the afternoon. The parade route will include Market Street in historic downtown York.
Manassas, Virginia, will have the Thirteenth annual Greater Manassas St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 17, 2012. It will begin at 11:00 in the morning, and part of the parade route will go through the historic downtown area. Vince Fitzpatrick will portray St. Patrick in the parade. The parade will include Irish music, Irish dancers, floats, and dignitaries, and the Color Guards of several military and police divisions.
Phoenix, Arizona, will have a St. Patrick’s Day parade & Faire on March 17, 2012. It will begin at 10:00 in the morning. You can attend the parade for free, but it will cost $8 to $10 to go to the Faire. The purpose of the festival is to broaden the public’s knowledge about Irish culture, and to dispel stereotypes.
Bridgeport, Connecticut, will have its annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 16, 2012. The parade will start at noon. The parade will include floats, large balloons, and marching bands from the highs schools of the region.
Image by The McClouds on Flickr