(Last UPDATED 2/24/2023) Description of the Annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade held each year in Old Sacramento, a national historic landmark district. Free. NEW: See “Updates” below.
Original Post
Sacramento’s 21st Annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade was held on Saturday, March 18, in Old Sacramento. Old Sacramento, a national historic landmark district with cobble streets and raised wooden sidewalks, is a great location for this free fun event.
Irish or not, Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated by people around the globe. The Sacramento parade was one of over 300 Saint Patrick’s Day Parades held around the world according to St.PatricksDay.com.
The day was cloudy and a bit overcast, but otherwise a nice day for a parade. I felt a drop or two prior to the start of the parade, but thankfully it did not rain.
I had arrived an hour before the parade began at 1:00 p.m., as the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade always draws a good-sized crowd. Earlier might have even been better.
SacramentoRevealed.com – All Things Sacramento (from a personal perspective)
Pre-Parade
There were multiple performers in the streets beforehand to start getting the crowd in a festive mood.
The pre-parade entertainment included the Element Brass Band. The band strolled around the cobbled streets playing lively music.
It was also fun to watch the youngest students of the McKeever School of Irish Dance display their coordinated dance steps.
Missed out on getting your fix of Girl Scout cookies? A local Girl Scout troop, who also participated in the parade, appeared to be doing a brisk business selling cookies to the crowd before the parade.
Parade
The parade route is Front Street, J Street, 2nd Street and back to the starting point via L Street to the finish. It was announced beforehand that there were over 1,000 participants in the parade.
I situated myself on Front Street near K Street where various groups, including the Capital Cheer Elite Storm, paused to perform their moves. The announcer at that location provided the spectators with information about each of the participating groups.
Also participating in the parade were various car clubs, cultural organizations such as the Shamrock Club of Sacramento, a large contingent of cute kids twirling their batons, fire trucks (antique and new), historic re-enactors, horses, etc. The parade lasted a little over an hour.
To Sum Up
Attending the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade was a nice way to spend part of the day – both watching the parade and people-watching.
Updates
(2/24/2023) The annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival will be held on Saturday, March 18th from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The parade starts at 1:00 p.m. The beer garden and vendor’s village will be open from noon to 5:00 p.m.
(March 2021) The annual parade has been cancelled due to COVID-19, as has so many other annual events in Sacramento.
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