St. Patrick's Day

NEW ORLEANS PARADES

St. Patrick’s Day (on March 17th, each year) is celebrated in New Orleans and its suburb in the form of….another parade! It’s the perfect season for another celebration. After all, it’s New Orleans, and we love to parade!

Our annual St. Patrick’s Day Parades are considered another opportunity for family and friends to get together and enjoy a day outdoors. It seems as if the entire city is on the street with picnic baskets, umbrellas, and their recreational vehicles – enjoying one of the biggest street parties of the year! Men and women in walking groups from various clubs in the city dress in costumes of green and give out flowers, beads, and kisses to lucky parade goers along the route.

Music adds to the festivities with bands in the parade, and walking groups dancing down the street – only stopping to award their beautiful beads and flowers to the lucky parade goers along the route.

Floats and truck floats (those on flatbed trailers created by the riders themselves) respond to the call, “Throw me something, Mister!” Historically, the parade’s most famous throws are cabbages, carrots, onions…and moonpies! (You may even see a potato or two in the air!)

St. Patrick’s Blessing

• May the road rise to meet you,
• May the wind be always at your back,
• May the sun shine warm upon your face,
• The rains fall soft upon your fields and,