Houston St. Patrick's Day Parade
Houston’s St. Patrick’s Day parade dates back to
the 1880's when the parade (always on St. Patrick's Day) started in
"Irish Town" by old St. Patrick's Church, which was located on
Harrisburg. Flags, bands and marchers would march to Market Square
for a day of fun, games, music, food and drink. The people spilled
in and out of the various pubs in Market Square. At an earlier time,
Dick Dowling, the Civil War hero, had a bar named the "Bank of
Bacchus" at the edge of the square. It was a favorite gathering
place. The parade has been a continuous parade since 1959,
For a complete history of the parade, click here.
When:
It's BACK!
Saturday, March 11, 2023 from 12 pm to 1:30 pm.
Where:
View the Parade Route here.
If you would like to volunteer on the day of the parade, please email volunteer@hsppc.org to sign up and click here for more information about volunteering on the day of the parade.
The Parade starts at the Clock Tower at MinuteMaid Park on Texas
and goes west-bound.
View a larger printable PDF version of the Houston St. Patrick's Day Parade Route Map here.
If you want an interactive Google map, so you can get directions to some point along the parade route, click here!
Who is in the parade:
The parade now includes representatives from Houston's Irish
groups . The Houston St. Patrick's Parade has always been a
FREE event. The two-hour parade has historically been one of the
largest in the U.S. and each year includes over 100 entries to
delight the Irish and
Irish-at-heart. If
you'd like to see
photos from last year's parade, click here.
Irish Stew Cookoff Contest
This annual event is held in early February to help raise funding for the Houston St. Patrick's Parade. We bring together Irish Food, local food,
Vendors, Friends, Family, Music from Irish roots to modern. Come and be a part of our Irish Family!
Saturday, (see their website for the
date)
RAIN or
Shine - Cook-off Competition 11:00am to 6:00pm, Music into the night
Main Street Grill and Tap (MSG&T) located at 4002 N. Main Street, Houston,
TX 77014
$15 (last year's price) Donation at the door, Children under 12 are free
Samples all afternoon from Cooks, Music on inside and outside stages Dancers,
Bagpipers, Face Painters, vendors World-Famous Billy Carr Stout Relay
Judging to include:
Irish Stew - Chili - Open Irish Dish - Irish
Dessert - Chef's Choice - Irish Coffee - Best Booth (Public Opinion voting)
Attending the parade as a spectator
What to bring
If it is a cold day, bring a warm hat, warm gloves, and warm shoes. For a sunny day, you’ll want to bring sunglasses, suntan lotion, and a hat. The parade goes on rain, shine or snow.
Transportation and Parking
The parade organizers have partnered with Parking Panda, the nationwide leader in online parking reservations, to allow visitors to purchase guaranteed parking near the parade. View real-time availability and pricing at many locations within easy walking distance to the Houston St. Patrick's Parade. Once purchased, parking is 100% guaranteed even if the location otherwise fills up. Click here for the website.
More information
If you want more information, such as to participate in the parade or become a sponsor, see the parade's official website here...
Find the parade's Facebook page here.
Email: info@hsppc.org.
References:
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