Photo by Todd Hoffman, courtesy of Visit Saint Paul.
With St. Patrick’s Day on Thursday, celebrations will look a lot different from those the past two years. Following a COVID-19 lockdown and drive-by parades, this year’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities will have a more familiar and nostalgic feel across the state.
The president of the Saint Patrick’s Association, Katie Martin, expects a large turnout for events this year and believes “[people are] excited to get back out and celebrate.” She says COVID-19 precautions are still in place for the safety of the participants.
The popular free parade in St. Paul returns this year. Dating back to 1851, the parade features pipe bands, dancers, and marchers proud of their Irish heritage. This year’s event starts at noon in Rice Park and makes its way east along Fifth Street to Mears Park. Following the parade, an afternoon party at CHS Field will feature food and beer, music by the Northerly Gales and Tim Sigler, and performances by the Rince Na Chroi Irish dancers. Tickets to the Ballpark Hooley are $5 in advance and $10 at the gate.
“We anticipate this will be a great post-parade event that people will enjoy for years to come,” Martin says.
Continue the Irish fun at St. Paul’s Landmark Center with Celtic food, dancing, and vendors. Or head over to Minneapolis for another parade starting at 6 p.m.
Beyond festivities in the Twin Cities, there are celebrations planned all throughout the state. On Thursday, New Ulm forgets its strong German roots for a day with its 54th annual parade at 5 p.m., which the city claims is the “longest consecutive Irish parade in the state.” And on Sat., March 19, Moorhead will put their Celtic culture on the forefront with a daylong event that will include food, art, history presentations, and more at the Hjemkomst Center.
