ROANOKE, Va. – Roanoke goes big for St. Patrick’s Day!
We know a lot of people are excited to dress in all green and head downtown for the parade. Even though you are going to want to bundle up, organizers said that the show must go on. The parade is set to start at 11 a.m. on Saturday and will travel from Jefferson Street to Campbell Avenue, ending on Williamson Road.
The parade will feature appearances from local organizations like the Virginia Highland Pipe and Drums and several Celtic bands.
The big talker that everyone is hoping to see is the Budweiser Clydesdales. As of right now, they are still set to be in the parade but that could change depending on the weather.
Kristen Flack from Freedom First Credit Union said she is excited to be able to welcome everyone back downtown after having to cancel the event in 2020 due to COVID-19.
“Just dress warm and let’s come down and celebrate. We’ve got confetti poppers and we’ve got the chocolate coins we are giving out. The parade should be a lot of fun to watch with all the different people in it and it should be an exciting time,” said Flack.
As a reminder, the Shamrock Festival will not be happening this weekend. Due to a supplier canceling equipment for the festival, it has been moved to next Saturday at 10 a.m.
Besides the parade, there are many more celebrations happening downtown this weekend for St. Patrick’s Day. Roanoke Catholic School Celtics is hosting its inaugural Celtic fest on the hill at their downtown campus. This is a free and family-friendly event that will have bagpipers, plenty of food options and inflatables for kids.
Corn Beef & Co. will be hosting the Irish Dance School at noon and other bands throughout the day.
Martin’s has adjusted its March 12 celebration due to the weather. The party still starts at 11 a.m. but the outdoor festivities will conclude at 6:30 p.m.