Welcome to ‘Parade Central’ ST.

IMAGINE A PARTY with 400,000 guests. A family reunion that’s 2½ miles long.

A 10K road race with 7,000 runners.

A Massachusetts Mardi Gras featuring so many championship marching bands, so many prize-winning floats, and so much citywide cheer that it

PATRICK’S PARADE

has been designated a “Local Legacy” by the Library of Congress.

Since 1952, the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade has been the city’s annual epic event. It brings people in, it brings people together, and it brings out the best of Holyoke and Western Massachusetts.

2023 ST. PATRICK’S PARADE GUIDE

Where to watch, what to know

Start time: Sunday, 11:10 a.m.

Parade route: The 2.65-mile parade route leaves the former Kmart Plaza and heads north on Northampton Street to Beech Street; east on Beech Street to Appleton Street; southeast on Appleton Street to High Street; and north on High Street to Hampden Street.

And even though St. Patrick’s events are as Irish as a shamrock, the residents of this Hispanic-majority city love the parade, the Grand Colleen and Her Court, the parties, the music, the costumes, and all the festivities. As a proud Puerto Rican, I’m all about “the wearin’ of the

Parking: There are some spots to park on side streets along the parade route, but absolutely no parking is allowed on the parade route itself. Parking is also available in the municipal lots downtown on Suffolk and Dwight streets — near City Hall — for a flat rate of $5 per day.

Where to watch: If you can’t attend in person, the parade will be broadcast live on WWLP-TV, 22News, starting at noon. WWLP-22News may be viewed over the air on channel 22.1, on Comcast channels 5 & 822, on Charter channels 9 & 787, DISH channel 22, and on DirecTV channel 22. The parade also will be livestreamed on WWLP.com

For more information: Go online to holyokestpatricksparade. com or visit the Parade on social media:

• Twitter: @holyokeparade

• Facebook: Facebook.com/HolyokeParade

• Hashtag: #Parade413

St. Patrick’s parade is labor of love for community, volunteers

By K aren M . C asey

St. Patrick’s

Committee of Holyoke

IT IS MY HONOR TO welcome everyone to the city of Holyoke, which is celebrating turning 150 this year, as president of the St. Patrick’s Committee of Holyoke.

We have so many great things leading up to our annual road race and 70th parade. We have thousands of runners this year that come from all over. After the race, downtown becomes like a reunion weekend, sharing stories and memories each year.

Of course, Parade Day is the culmination of all the hard work of the volunteers on this committee who work endlessly to make this happen. It is seen by over 300,000 in-person spectators along the route and more than 1 million people

Joshua A. Garcia