58th Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade Schedule of Events
The Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade will be held March 22, 2015 and will depart the Allentown Fairgrounds at 1:30 pm.
February 3, 2015 (Allentown, PA) The Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade Committee, Inc. announced today the schedule of events surrounding the 58th Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade. The Parade will be held March 22, 2015, departing from the Allentown Fairgrounds at 1:30 pm. The Parade events will kick off Sunday, February 15, 2015 at the annual Fundraiser event being held at Christopher’s Restaurant at the Knights of Columbus, Allentown PA.
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. Collection baskets will be located along the Parade route and the Boy Scouts will be walking in the Parade collecting donations from spectators. The Food Drive kicks off at the annual Parade Fundraiser event being held Sunday, February 15, 2015 at Christopher’s Restaurant at the Knights of Columbus. Donations will also be taken at the Pub Crawl, the Coronation Celebration, the Irish Cultural Community Day being held March 20 and 21 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 15, 2015
Christopher’s at the Knights of Columbus will host the 13th annual fundraising event from 3 pm to 6 pm on Sunday, February 15, 2015. 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 selected beers and soda with admission and door prizes. Tickets can be purchased in advance by going to www.allentownstpatricksdayparade.com, calling 610.443.0429, or emailing stpatstickets@aol.com. Tickets will also be available at the door. Music by DJ John Harvey, raffles and the purchase of shamrocks for a $1 will also be a part of the event’s activities. All guests are asked to bring a nonperishable food item to benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank of the Lehigh Valley.
Parade Pub Crawl – March 14, 2015
The Parade Pub Crawl, initiated in 2008, will take place on Saturday, March 14, 2015 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 nine sponsoring pubs; Jack Callaghan’s Ale House, Tavern on Liberty Street, Ringer’s Roost, Stooge’s Bar & Grille, Volpe’s, Shanty on 19th, Roosevelt’s 21st, Fairgrounds Hotel, and Greg’s West End Saloon.
Registration is held at each sponsoring pub and starts at 5:30 pm. The pub crawl begins promptly at 6:30 pm. Registration is $15 per person and includes an official Parade t-shirt.
City of Allentown Flag Raising – March 17, 2015
On Tuesday, March 17, 2015 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 Edward Pawlowski, Mayor of the City of Allentown will mark the occasion. City hall is located at 435 Hamilton Street, Allentown.
Coronation Celebration – March 20, 2015
Greg and Roey Ebert will be crowned the 2015 King and Queen of the Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade at the Coronation Celebration to be held March 20 at the Agricultural Hall annex at the Allentown Fairgrounds. A dinner will be held at 6:00 PM prior to the Coronation Celebration. Dinner tickets are $15 per person and must be purchased in advance at www.allentownstpatricksdayparade.com or emailing stpatstickets@aol.com. Children 10 and under are $5. No dinner tickets will be available at the door.
The Coronation Celebration begins with doors opening at 7:30 and the Coronation taking place at 9 pm. Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 at the door and include a copy of the 2015 St. Patrick’s Parade Program Book, complimentary beverages and a door prize ticket. There will be a cash bar. 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 call 610.443.0429, email stpatstickets@aol.com or go to www.alletownstpatricksdayparade.com.
2nd Annual Irish Cultural Community Day – March 21, 2015
The 2nd Annual Irish Cultural Community Day will be held Saturday, March 21, 2015 from noon to 5:00 pm at the Allentown Fairgrounds/Agricultural Hall Annex. 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 free event and features demonstrations in Irish dance, hurling, theatre, Art, bagpipe, fiddle, and ceili, and all will have children and audience participation. For more information go to www.allentownstpatricksdayparade.com.
St. Patrick’s Mass – March 22, 2015
A mass to celebrate St. Patrick will be held Sunday, March 22, 2015 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 2015 King and Queen. Immaculate Conception Church is located at 501 Ridge Avenue, Allentown PA 18102.
Parade Breakfast – March 22, 2015
The annual Parade Breakfast will be held at the Allentown Fairgrounds/Agricultural Hall Annex on March 22, 2015 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.allentownstpatricksdayparade.com.
West End 5K – March 22, 2015
The West End Alliance is sponsoring a 5K run on Sunday, March 22, 2015 along the Parade Route. Registration is TBD per person Start time is 12:30 m. The 5K will start and end at Muhlenberg College. Prizes awarded. Registration can be made online at www.westendstpats5k.com. Proceeds benefit the West End Alliance.
House Decorating/Porch Party Contest – March 22, 2015
The 2015 Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade Committee designed a house decorating/porch party contest to be judge by an independent person chosen by the Parade committee. 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 22, 2015
Massed Bands exhibition will take place immediately before the Parade at 1:00 PM on North 19th Street between Tilghman and Liberty Streets. All 10 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.
58th Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade – March 22, 2015
The 2015 Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade, now in its 58th year, will start its March at 1:30 pm on Sunday, March 22, 2015. 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 o t 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 2015 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 2015 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.allentownstpatricksdayparade.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 58th Anniversary on March 22, 2015 departing from the Allentown Fairgrounds at 1:30 pm. For more information or to participate in the 2015 Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade go to www.allentownstpatricksdayparade.com.
Press Release Provided By:
Jennifer Eck
Jennifer Eck, LLC
