The Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade will be held March 20, 2016 and will depart the Allentown Fairgrounds at 2:00 pm.
The 59th Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade is presented by Giant Food Stores
January 28, 2016 (Allentown, PA) The Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade Committee, Inc. announced today the schedule of events surrounding the 59th Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade presented by Giant Food Stores. The Parade will be held March 20, 2016, departing from the Allentown Fairgrounds at 2:00 pm. The Parade events will kick off Sunday, February 21, 2016 at the annual Fundraiser event being held at Christopher’s at the Columbian Home located at 1519 Greenleaf Street, Allentown PA. The 2016 Parade theme is “All Are Invited” and is a welcome to all in the Lehigh Valley to join the events held throughout Allentown from February 21 through March 20, 2016.
Food Drive to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank of the Lehigh Valley
The Parade is hosting a food drive to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank of the Lehigh Valley. The Parade is partnering with several local businesses and the Minsi Trails Council to help collect food the day of the Parade. Members of Cub Scout troops will be marching behind the Second Harvest Food Bank of the Lehigh Valley truck in the Parade to collect food brought to the Parade by spectators. Brown paper grocery bags donated by GIANT will be distributed door-to-door in the West End neighborhood the week before the Parade and will also be distributed at some of the Parade sponsored events. The Food Drive kicks off at the annual Parade Fundraiser event being held Sunday, February 21, 2016 at Christopher’s at the Columbian Home. Donations will also be taken at the Coronation Celebration, the Irish Cultural Community Day being held March 18 and 19 respectively at Allentown Fairgrounds. The Parade is asking all spectators of the parade to bring a nonperishable food item to donate.
Parade Fundraising Event – February 21, 2016
Christopher’s at the Columbian Home will host the 14th annual fundraising event from 3 pm to 6 pm on Sunday, February 21, 2016. Doors are open to the public and tickets are $10 per person in advance and $12 at the door. Children under 12 are free. Tickets include select beers and soda with admission and door prizes. Tickets can be purchased in advance by going to www.allentownstpatricksparade.com, calling 610.443.0429, or emailing stpatstickets@aol.com. Music by DJ John Harvey, raffles and the purchase of shamrocks for a $1 will also be a part of the event’s activities. The 2016 King and Queen, Steve and Angela Faidley will be introduced and the winners of the 2016 Parade Poster Contest will be announced. All guests are asked to bring a nonperishable food item to benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank of the Lehigh Valley. Christopher’s at the Columbian Home is located at 1519 Greenleaf Street, Allentown, PA.
Civic Theatre Irish Film Festival – March 11 – March 17, 2016
The Civic Theatre will be hosting an Irish Film Festival the week of March 11 – March 17, 2016. The movies shown will range from narrative dramas to animation and documentaries, and will be sure to inform as well as entertain. Tickets and movie schedule can be found at www.civictheatre.com or contact Civic Movie Manager Suzanne Baltsar at 610.433.8903 or email civicmoviemanager@civictheatre.com. The Civic Theatre is located at 527 N. 19th Street, Allentown, PA 18104.
Parade Pub Crawl – March 12, 2016
The Parade Pub Crawl, initiated in 2008, will take place on Saturday, March 12, 2016 throughout the West End of Allentown. Proceeds for the Pub Crawl benefit the Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade to pay for marching units and bands. There are eight sponsoring pubs; Jack Callaghan’s Ale House, Tavern on Liberty Street, The Roost Tavern & Restaurant, Stooge’s Bar & Grille, Volpe’s Sports Bar, Shanty on 19th, Fairgrounds Hotel, and Greg’s West End Saloon.
Registration is held at each sponsoring pub and starts at 4:30 pm. The pub crawl begins promptly at 6:00 pm. Registration is $15 per person and includes an official Parade t-shirt.
St. Patrick’s Mass – March 13, 2016
A Mass to celebrate St. Patrick will be held Sunday, March 13, 2016 at Immaculate Conception Church celebrated by the Most Reverend John O. Barres, Bishop of Allentown. The Mass will feature a procession that includes James Ruhf, Pipe Major for the City of Bethlehem Pipe Band, former Parade Kings and Queens, and the 2016 King and Queen. Immaculate Conception Church is located at 501 Ridge Avenue, Allentown PA 18102.
St. Patrick’s Mass Breakfast – March 13, 2016
Immediately following the Mass to celebration St. Patrick, a breakfast will be held at Immaculate Conception Church Community Hall. The breakfast is $10 per person with proceeds benefitting Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade. The breakfast will be open from 10 am to 12 pm. Tickets can be purchased online at www.allentownstpatricksparade.com or emailing stpatstickets@aol.com. Immaculate Conception Church is located at 501 Ridge Avenue, Allentown, PA 18102.
City of Allentown Flag Raising – March 17, 2016
On Thursday, March 17, 2016 the flag of the Republic of Ireland will be raised at City Hall Plaza, Allentown at 11:45 am. The flag raising event is to commemorate the contributions of those of Irish heritage who helped to form and grow Allentown and the greater Allentown area. A pipe salute and brief remarks by John A. Chaya, President of the Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade Committee, Inc. and the Honorable Edwin Pawlowski, Mayor of the City of Allentown will mark the occasion. City Hall is located at 435 Hamilton Street, Allentown.
Coronation Celebration – March 18, 2016
Steve and Angela Faidley will be crowned the 2016 King and Queen of the Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade at the Coronation Dinner and Celebration to be held March 18 at the Agricultural Hall Annex at the Allentown Fairgrounds.
The dinner will be held at 6:00 pm prior to the Coronation Celebration. Dinner tickets are $30 per person and must be purchased in advance at www.allentownstpatricksparade.com or emailing stpatstickets@aol.com. Dinner tickets include entrance to the Coronation Celebration immediately following dinner. Children 12 and under are $5. No dinner tickets will be available at the door.
The Coronation Celebration begins with doors opening at 7:30 pm and the Coronation takes place at 9 pm. Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 at the door and include a copy of the 2016 St. Patrick’s Parade Program Book, complimentary beer, soda, and a door prize ticket. The event is BYOB. There is no cost for anyone under 21. The Allentown Fairgrounds/Agricultural Hall Annex is located at 19th and Liberty Streets, Allentown, PA 18104. For tickets to the Coronation Celebration email stpatstickets@aol.com or go to www.allentownstpatricksparade.com.
3rd Annual Irish Cultural Community Day – March 19, 2016
The 3rd Annual Irish Cultural Community Day will be held Saturday, March 19, 2016 from noon to 4:30 pm at the Agricultural Hall Annex at the Allentown Fairgrounds. The Community Day is presented by the Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade Committee, Inc. and is sponsored by the West End Alliance as a contribution to the community to highlight the Irish culture in dance, song, art, music, and theater. The Community Day is a family friendly -free event and features demonstrations in Irish dance, hurling, Celtic games, theatre, Art, bagpipe, fiddle, and ceili, and all will have children and audience participation. For more information go to www.allentownstpatricksparade.com.
Civic Theatre Irish Concert – March 19, 2016
The Civic Theatre will host an Irish concert event on Saturday, March 19, 2016 at 7:30 pm featuring the music of Blackwater. Blackwater is a five-piece Celtic band from the Lehigh Valley, PA area. Formed in 1996, the band’s powerful vocal harmonies, intricate instrumentals, and penchant for infusing contemporary rhythmic influences have led to a signature sound that has been described as “Sheer Ceili Aerobics!” Ticket information can be found at www.civictheatre.com. The Civic Theatre is located at 527 N. 19th Street, Allentown, PA 18104.
Parade Breakfast – March 20, 2016
The annual Parade Breakfast will be held at the Agricultural Hall Annex at the Allentown Fairgrounds on March 20, 2016 from 10 am to noon. Tickets are $10 and must be purchased in advance. No day of event tickets will be sold. Proceeds benefit the Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade. The Agricultural Hall Annex is located at 19th and Liberty Streets, Allentown, PA. To purchase tickets to the Breakfast go to www.allentownstpatricksparade.com or email stpatstickets@aol.com.
West End 5K – March 20, 2016
The West End Alliance is sponsoring a 5K run on Sunday, March 20, 2016 along the Parade Route. Registration is open through March 6, 2016 or until the limit of 1,000 runners has been reached. $33 per person registration fee. There is no day of event registration. Start time is 12:45 pm. The 5K will start and end at Muhlenberg College. Prizes awarded. Option of a custom-imprinted glassware or t-shirt as part of registration. After March 1 it is glassware only. Registration can be made online at www.westendstpats5k.com. Proceeds benefit the West End Alliance.
House Decorating/Porch Party Contest – March 20, 2016
The 2016 Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade Committee is once again hosting a house decorating/porch party contest to be judge by an independent person chosen by the Parade committee. The theme of this year’s contest is “You are Invited”. Prizes will be awarded to the “best porch party” and “best decorated house” along the Parade route. The Parade route will form at the Fairgrounds track near the Liberty and 17th Streets gate ( Main Gate vicinity) The Parade will proceed West on Liberty, turn North on 19th Street, Wets on Tilghman to 25th Street, South on 25th Street to Liberty Street then East on Liberty Street and disband a the Fairgrounds 19th Street gate. All homes along the Parade route are encouraged to participate. Prizes will be awarded immediately upon conclusion of the Parade.
Massed Bands Exhibition – March 20, 2016
A Massed Bands Exhibition will take place immediately before the Parade at 1:30 PM on North 19th Street between Tilghman and Liberty Streets. All pipe bands will perform in unison under the direction of Drum Major Jason Litz. After the Parade the pipe bands will proceed to a Pub Crawl Sponsoring pub to perform additional tunes.
59th Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade – March 20, 2016
The 2016 Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade, now in its 59th year, will start its March at 2:00 pm on Sunday, March 20, 2016. The Parade route will form at the Fairgrounds track near the Liberty and 19th Streets gate (Main Gate vicinity). The Parade will proceed West on Liberty, turn North on 19th Street, West on Tilghman Street to 25th Street, South on 25th Street to Liberty Street, then East on Liberty Street and disband at the Fairgrounds 19th Street gate. The Parade will include the 2016 King and Queen riding in a white coach drawn by a team of Belgium horses followed by Parade divisions each led by a pipe band.
For information on the 2016 Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade contact Jennifer Eck at 610.462.3730 or email Jennifer.m.eck@gmail.com. For details on all Parade activities or to purchase individual event tickets go to www.allentownstpatricksparade.com.
About the Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade
The first known St. Patrick’s Parade was held in Allentown in the late 1860’s. Over a century later, in 1955, what we know as the modern day Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade was organized by business and political leaders through the St. Patrick’s Day Observance Society. The Parade marched down Hamilton Streets to the Immaculate Conception Church on Ridge Avenue. The Parade will celebrate its 59th Anniversary on March 20, 2016 departing from the Allentown Fairgrounds at 2:00 pm. For more information or to participate in the 2016 Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade go to www.allentownstpatricksparade.com.
Information Provided By:
Jennifer Eck
Jennifer Eck, LLC
