Stage Set for 42nd Annual Greater Hartford St. Patrick's Day Parade

By Lauren Milka

DTHartford Staff

Fife and drums, pipes, and Irish Step Dancers galore!

Despite the inclement winter weather that greater Hartford and the state of Connecticut is set to endure on Thursday and Friday, the 42^nd Annual Greater Hartford Saint Patrick’s Day Parade is still on for Saturday, March 9. The spirits of those Irish Greater Hartford residents (and those who are Irish for a day!) will be shining right along with the sun as the weekend comes in with milder weather. 

This year’s Grand Marshal of the parade is James Mulcahy, a resident of Manchester and member of the Irish community of Connecticut. Along with the selection of the Grand Marshal is the Person of the Year, who is Richard Graziano, publisher of the Hartford Courant and vice president and general manager of FOX CT. The Central Connecticut Celtic Cultural Committee, who sponsors the parade and chooses these two parade honorees each year, selected both men.

To honor those lost in the unforgettable tragedy that struck the town of Newtown, the parade will honor the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings. Marchers in the parade will be wearing green and white ribbons – the school’s colors – to show their support.  Police, first responders, fire officials, politicians, and families from Newtown will be leading the parade of the thousands of participants from Hartford, Rocky Hill, Manchester, West Hartford, South Windsor, Glastonbury, East Hartford, Wethersfield, and Newington.

This event is likely to draw more than 50,000 spectators, and the city of Hartford recommends that those who wish to attend the parade be aware of its street closings along the parade route prior to the beginning of the parade at 11:00 AM.

The parade’s route is set to begin at the State Capitol and concluding at Memorial Arch on Trinity Street, which was erected in the late nineteenth century to honor those residents of Connecticut who fought and died for the Union in the American Civil War.

Parking is available in lots and garages near the XL Center and Convention Center, so don your green, white, and orange, talk with an Irish brogue, and enjoy the festivities at the 42nd Annual Greater Hartford Saint Patrick’s Day Parade!

For more information, visit the official website of the parade at www.irishamericanparade.com.