Saint Patrick’s Day parade returns; 2022 route to end in Lowertown

Lowertown.info—After a two-year break during the pandemic, Saint Paul’s Saint Patrick’s Day parade is set to return on Thursday, March 17th, 2022. This year’s route is reversed, with the parade beginning at Rice Park at noon and proceeding down East Fifth Street to finish at Mears Park in Lowertown, with the day’s celebrations concluding at CHS Field, home of the minor baseball team, the Saint Paul Saints.

The Saint Paul St. Patrick’s Association began the celebration of the Minnesota capitol’s Irish community in 1967 at Gallivan’s restaurant and bar.

“It was a bitter cold day during the Winter Carnival,” its website reports owner Bob Gallivan reminiscing, after some of his pals stopped by to get out of the cold and have a drink. “Let’s have a Saint Patrick’s Day Parade,” Gallivan remembers saying, “before we get too old.”

As the story goes, word spread and the planning began. Judge Edward Devitt, who had marched in the parade every year until his passing in 1992—”It’s a sin to miss it”—was part of that first committee.

The Ballpark Hooley, presented by Guinness, will start immediately after the parade (gates open at 12:30pm). All proceeds from ticket sales go towards funding future St. Patrick’s Day parades and local charities. Live Music by The Northerly Gales and Tim Sigler, Rince Na Chroi Irish dancers, CHS Field Concourse. Beer specials and food.