St. Patricks Day Parade
New Orleans, LA -There’s one place in Louisiana that knows how to throw a parade…or is that stage a parade? At any rate, New Orleans has been throwing, staging…and producing parades (or whatever) since the days of the first Mardi Gras in the early 1800’s. But some of the BEST parades actually have nothing to do with Mardi Gras at all and nobody said the “Irish” didn’t know how to pitch a parade…especially in honor of St. Patrick’s Day? The Quarter really puts on the green for a weekend of partying and parading through the streets.
Jim Monaghan’s Annual Irish Parade is more determined than ever to hit the streets of the French Quarter…surely it takes more than a “wee storm” like Katrina to dampen the spirits of the Irish! The parade starts at Molly’s at the Market and features such Cajun all-stars as the Storyville Stompers, the Kazoozie Floozies and Modine Gunch!
A parade just wouldn’t be Irish without a few green-clad riders on horse-drawn carriages throwing green beads, panties, cups and other green goodies, so keep an eye out for the loot. The parade follows the traditional Monaghan parade route…and if that means nothing to you…here’s where it goes and you would be wise to be there! It begins on Decatur and marches on to Bienville…Bienville to Burgundy…Burgundy to Conti, Conti to Bourbon, Bourbon to Governor Nicholls, Governor Nicholls to Decatur and then it ends where it started back at Molly’s where there’s sure to be plenty of good spirits and maybe a keg of green beer? There’s more information at 504.525.5169 or www.mollysatthemarket.net. Check it out!
If parading just isn’t your thing, maybe you should return home with a bald head…hey, it’s better than a tattoo and every head shaved benefits the National Childhood Foundation! For more information call 504.582.2350 or check out the website, www.stbaldricks.org. All the action takes place on Loyola between Poydras and Girod, men and women included! Be Brave…go bald and remember, it will grow back thicker (or something like that)!
Saturday is another day and that means another parade…or two, but hopefully not before noon! The Irish Channel Parade, the Krewe of Erin St. Patrick’s Parade in downtown Ponchatoula should be a real treat…for more info check out www.ponchatoula.com/ptimes.
Metarie sees all the action on Sunday with their very own St. Patrick’s Day Parade. It begins at 12:00 PM (that’s a reasonable hour) and you can call 504.731.7083 if you want a little more information and happen to be in Metarie. Who knows, you might just wake up there on Sunday morning and remember that the parade begins at noon! If you wake up in Chalmette (and many people do), get ready for the St. Bernard Irish-Italian-Islenos Community Parade and the name alone is worth a trip to Chalmette! Now in its 4th year, the parade features over 60 professionally made Mardi gras-style floats with more than 2000 members throwing potatoes, cabbage, carrots, fava beans, dolls, beads, doubloons…and more. Bring a basket and when all is said and done, you’ll have everything you need to make a great soup!
There’s never a reason to be bored in
New Orleans, but come St. Patrick’s Day, the Irish and just
about anyone who happens to be “around” get in the
spirit and PARADE down just about every street in town…in
one parade or another…throwing everything from green beads
to green beans! St. Patrick would indeed be proud and pleased to
see such celebration in his honor. What a fine time to be sure
for a parade, or two or three or FOUR! 
For the most recent info on this event and others,
check our New Orleans Special Event Calendar.
