St. Patrick’s Day Parade returns to Downtown Raleigh after 2-year break
Updated March 11: The parade will start at 10:30 a.m. due to inclement weather.
Raleigh’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, a March fixture for almost 40 years, will be held Saturday following a two-year pandemic break.
The parade begins at 10:30 a.m. in downtown Raleigh at East Lane and North Wilmington streets. It will be held rain or shine, though organizers say to monitor social media for updates. Saturday is expected to be rainy with a high of 59 degrees.
The route will make its way south on Wilmington Street; will turn right onto East Morgan Street; will turn left at the Capitol onto Fayetteville Street; will turn right after three blocks onto West Davie Street; and will conclude two blocks down on South Salisbury Street before it disbands.
Organizers say the parade lasts up to 1 1/2 hours.
The event got its start in 1983 with “a dozen or so enthusiastic Irish-Americans marching down Wilmington Street,” according to the organizer’s website. A group of volunteers, through the nonprofit Raleigh St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee, continues to organize it.
Since 1992, the parade has recognized a grand marshal, with the roster including former mayors, TV anchors, police chiefs, fire chiefs and those known in Raleigh’s Irish community.
This year’s grand marshal is Ira David Wood III, who is the founder and executive director of Theatre in the Park. The theater company produces “A Christmas Carol,” an annual holiday tradition in the Triangle since the mid-’70s. Wood, who plays Scrooge, has received numerous awards, including the North Carolina Award in Fine Arts.
Wood was named the grand marshal of the 2020 parade, which was canceled as the COVID-19 pandemic descended upon North Carolina.
This story was originally published March 10, 2022 at 5:16 PM.