St. Patrick’s Parade is scheduled for March 12 in St. Charles By Kelley White Photo by Laura Stoecker Photography
S
pringtime is just around the corner, and with it comes the St. Patrick’s Parade, a beloved annual tradition. The date is set for March 12.
“The parade has been going on since 1999 and it has always been such a festive day in St. Charles,” says Amy Curione, events manager at St. Charles Business Alliance. “Thousands of people have come downtown all dressed up in festive clothing while all the businesses have their St. Patrick’s Day specials — including green beer!” St. Charles has established the March celebration as a fixture in its holiday calendar, aiming to improve with every new year despite wrinkles caused by the pandemic. An opening ceremony is scheduled for 10:30 a.m., followed by the parade at 2 p.m.
Local businesses will be offering a variety of specials and products inspired by the Irish celebration. “Adults can go enjoy what our breweries have to offer, the entertainment is family-friendly, and we will have options for every age group throughout the weekend,” says Curione. “Make a day of it!” The parade will feature an array of local groups, and bagpipers will entertain throughout the entire downtown area. As for green beer, head to The Filling Station Pub & Grill, among others. For traditional Irish food and drink, McNally’s Pub is an easy, delicious option. Check the parade website, www.stcstpatricksparade.com, for more information on specific activities and details.
“Since we haven’t had the parade in the last two years, we’ve added a few things,” Curione says. “It was canceled in 2020 … last year we had a celebration during the day where everyone could be socially distanced and outside.” This year the parade is coming back with recently added attractions that worked well in 2021. “We had roaming bagpipers, a photo-op area over on Riverside Avenue and a treasure hunt throughout town so our families could get out and enjoy St. Patrick’s Day festivities but be more socially distanced,” says Curione. “It went over really well, and we had a lot of families come out and enjoy the celebration.”
FAMILY IN FOCUS MARCH 2022
37
