The Greatest St. Patrick’s Day Parade
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Join us for one of St. Paul’s favorite traditions, The St. Patrick’s Day Parade! Following tradition, this year’s parade will be held on March 16th due to St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th) landing on a Sunday, a Holy Day. The parade will begin at Rice Park and end at Mears Park, the original route walked in 1967.
Since 1967, the St. Patrick’s Association has been the organization behind the greatest Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in the nation, hosted in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Not only does our 100% volunteer group sponsor and coordinate the parade each year, but we also strive to donate at least $10,000 annually to local charities.
Most of our planning and fundraising is done during the six weeks leading up to Saint Patrick’s Day. But, we have a year-round presence serving our community. Whether cleaning up a park on Earth Day, volunteering with the Ronald McDonald House, or spreading cheer during the summer parades, you will undoubtedly see us sporting our green throughout the Twin Cities!
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How the St. Patrick’s Association Started
This spirited tribute to St. Paul’s Irish community began in 1967 at Gallivan’s restaurant and bar. “It was a bitter cold day during the Winter Carnival,” says Bob Gallivan. Some of his pals stopped by to get out of the cold and have a drink. “Let’s have a Saint Patrick’s Day Parade,” Gallivan remembers saying, “before we get too old.” Word spread and the planning began. Judge Edward Devitt who had marched every year –”It’s a sin to miss it”—was part of that first committee. “This is a natural center for a St. Patrick’s Day parade because there are so many Irish.”
Tucked in among the family units and the dignitaries were the Brian Boru Irish pipe band, the St. Patrick honor guard, even the Vulcans, who wrapped their fire truck in green crepe paper for the occasion.
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But the focus of the parade has always been on the family groups. According to Stewart Loper, Treasurer of the Saint Patrick’s Association which sponsors the parade activities, the sentiment is that we want the families and kids to participate.” Loper calls it “a baby buggy parade. And we work hard to keep it that way.”
As a result, motorized vehicles are kept to a minimum. There’s a float for Ms. Shamrock and a car for the celebrity Grand Marshal.
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The tradition of the crowning a local Irish lass Ms. Shamrock began with that first parade – Agnes Sullivan was the lucky lady. William J. Hickey was the first Mr. Pat, an honor extended to the man of Irish descent who as contributed the most to life in St. Paul.
There are other traditions initiated in 1967 that remain part of the festivities – the swath of emerald paint down the center of the parade route, for instance. And the six weeks of button blitzing that the Miss Shamrocks and the Blarney Brothers perform to raise money for the parade and charities.
Irish Gazette, March 1991
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