HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — It's back!
The 45th Annual Ellen McAnelly Memorial St. Patrick’s Day Parade will take place on Saturday, March 12th at 11:00 a.m. in downtown Huntsville. The family-friendly community event, organized by the Irish Society of North Alabama, will be taking place for the first time since 2019.
“It’s hard to believe it has been three years since this parade has marched through the streets of downtown Huntsville. It’s such a wonderful day for the Irish, those who are Irish for the day, and for the community, said Lisa Bollinger, Parade Director. “We are very excited about the number and variety of groups participating in the parade this year. We are happy to see familiar faces and some new ones, too.”
Over 90 groups and St. Patrick will join the parade. Some of this year's participants include:
- specialty car groups
- birthday celebrations
- local companies and organizations
- a band
- horses
- float,
- pirates
- firetrucks
- and the Leprechaun on a Trike; who has been in every parade since 1979.
The Huntsville Fire and Rescue Pipe Band will be leading the parade It's the first time an official pipe band will lead Huntsville's parade. The Grand Marshal is The O’Beirne Family and the Parade Queen is Madi Brown. Parade Princess are McKinley Oliver (Connacht Province), Leia Hardison (Leinster Province), Rose Hardison (Munster Province) and Mary Bailey (Ulster Province).
What roads will be affected?
The parade route will begin at Lot K on the corner of Woodson and Holmes and go through downtown Huntsville.
The parade briefly will stop at St. Mary of the Visitation Catholic Church on Jefferson Street for the annual blessing of the parade and Irish and American flags.
The parade will head south on Washington Street through Eastside Square and north on Church Street past the Huntsville Museum of Art and between West and East Big Spring Park.
The Parade Route will close at 10:30 a.m. with some streets, including Woodson Street between Clinton and Holmes may close earlier closing earlier.
Where should I go?
Parade Organizers have created a Parade Spectator Guide that includes a map of the route and parking information.
The official parade after-party takes place at Straight to Ale Brewing at Campus 805 and includes live music, games, and food and drink specials.
Parade History
According to organizers, the parade is named after the founder, Ellen McAnelly, who died in 2009. She opened Finnegan’s Pub in 1977 and held the first parade in 1978 near Finnegan’s and around the Parkway. It was known as the smallest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the United States, with only 18 people participating. The parade was held in Madison in 1997 and moved to downtown Huntsville in 1998 and after.
The 2020 parade was canceled a day before the parade, being one of the first public events in the area that was canceled due to the COVID-19 virus. There was a much smaller “march” around Straight to Ale Brewing in 2020 and 2021 and therefore considered a parade, making 2022 the 45th consecutive parade.
The parade is family-friendly and for the entire community.