NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The annual Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day Club Parade is Saturday, March 16, and with a little luck of the Irish, hopefully it won’t rain.
“The parade has grown immensely,” said Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day Club President Dick Burke. “There are more than 30 floats, 12 different marching groups, a few school bands.”
Burke’s dad, Dick Burke Sr., helped start the Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day parade 77 years ago.
“When it first started, when my dad was in charge, there were like 100 guys. Now, we’ve got 11,000 members,” he said.
Burke says this year, he feels especially lucky.
“This year is special for us because it is the anniversary of my father’s birthday. He would’ve been 104 on the day we parade,” he said.
As he marches this year, his dad will be in his heart, next to his Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day Club commemorative medallion.
You can also expect for the club members to be passing out flowers in exchange for some kisses.
“One of our grand marshals, he had a way of doing it. He would do a little dance and then give a woman a flower, and then get a kiss from her. The guys get pretty creative,” Burke said.
Flowers aren’t the only things you can get from the parade. You can get cabbages, carrots and potatoes, which are perfect for making a delicious cabbage stew on St. Patrick’s Day.
All the fun is Saturday, March 16. There’s a special mass at noon at St. Mary’s Assumption Church in the Irish Channel, followed by the parade at 1 p.m. on Magazine and Felicity Streets. The parade ends at Jackson Avenue and Annunciation Street.
On Thursday, March 14, the club will host a St. Patrick’s Day block party with vendors to help benefit St. Michael’s Special School from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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