The Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade will be held March 18, 2018 and will depart the Allentown Fairgrounds at 1:30 pm.
The 61st Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade is presented by GIANT Food Stores
February 22, 2018 (Allentown, PA) The Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade Committee, Inc. announced today the schedule of events surrounding the 61st Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade presented by Giant Food Stores. The Parade will be held March 18, 2018, departing from the Allentown Fairgrounds at 1:30 pm.
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. Presenting sponsor GIANT Food Stores has supplied brown grocery bags to be distributed door-to-door in the West End neighborhood the week before the Parade and they will also be distributed at some of the Parade sponsored events. The Food Drive kicked off at the annual Parade Fundraiser event held Sunday, February 18, 2018 at Christopher’s at the Columbian Home. Donations will also be taken at the Coronation Celebration, the Irish Cultural Community Day being held March 16 and 17 respectively at Allentown Fairgrounds. The Parade is asking all spectators of the parade to bring a nonperishable food item to donate.
Parade Pub Crawl – March 10, 2018
The Parade Pub Crawl, celebrating 10 years in 2018, will take place on Saturday, March 10, 2018 throughout the West End of Allentown. Proceeds from 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 of Allentown, Volpe’s Sports Bar, Shanty on 19th, Fairgrounds Hotel, Sleepy Cat Urban Winery, and Greg’s West End Saloon.
A donation of $15 to benefit the Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade will include a 61st Parade commemorative t-shirt. The pub crawl begins promptly at 5:00 pm.
St. Patrick’s Mass – March 18, 2018
A Mass to celebrate St. Patrick will be held Sunday, March 18, 2018 at 9:15 at Immaculate Conception Church celebrated by the Most Reverend Alfred A. Schlert, Bishop of Allentown. The Mass will feature a procession led by the MacKay bagpipe band that includes former Parade Kings and Queens, and the 2018 King and Queen. Immaculate Conception Church is located at 501 Ridge Avenue, Allentown PA 18102.
St. Patrick’s Parade Breakfast – March 18, 2018
Immediately following the Mass to celebration St. Patrick, a breakfast will be held at the Agricultural Hall Annex of the Allentown Fairgrounds. 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. The Allentown Fairgrounds/Agricultural Hall Annex is located at 19th and Liberty Streets, Allentown, PA 18104.
City of Allentown Flag Raising – March 16, 2018
On Thursday, March 16, 2018 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 by Mackay Pipe Band 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 16, 2018
Brian and Kate Johnson will be crowned the 2018 King and Queen of the Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade at the Coronation Dinner and Celebration to be held March 16 at the Agricultural Hall Annex at the Allentown Fairgrounds.
The Coronation Celebration begins with doors opening at 7:00 pm and the Coronation takes place at 9 pm. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door and include a copy of the 2018 St. Patrick’s Parade Program Book, complimentary beer (sponsored by Allentown Beverage), 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 go to www.allentownstpatricksparade.com.
5th Annual Irish Cultural Community Day – March 17, 2018
The 5th Annual Irish Cultural Community Day, presented by the West End Alliance, will be held Saturday, March 17, 2018 from noon to 4:00 pm at the Agricultural Hall Annex at the Allentown Fairgrounds. The Community Day is presented by the Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade Committee, Inc. Irish Cultural Community Day is a family friendly -free event and features demonstrations in Irish dance, hurling, Celtic games, art, bagpipe, fiddle, and ceili, and all will have children and audience participation. For more information go to www.allentownstpatricksparade.com.
West End 5K – March 18, 2018
The West End Alliance is sponsoring a 5K run on Sunday, March 18, 2018 along the Parade Route. Registration is open through March 12, 2018 or until the limit of 1,000 runners has been reached. $30 per person registration fee. There is no day of event registration. Start time is 12:15 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. Registration can be made online at www.westendstpats5k.com. Proceeds benefit the West End Alliance.
House Decorating/Porch Party Contest – March 18, 2018
The 2018 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. Prizes, donated by the West End Pubs, 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, west on Tilghman to 25th Street, South on 25th Street to Liberty Street then East on Liberty Street and disband at 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 18, 2018
A Massed Bands Exhibition will take place immediately before the Parade at 1:00 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.
61st Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade – March 18, 2018
The 2018 Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade, now in its 61st year, will start its March at 1:30 pm on Sunday, March 18, 2018. 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 2018 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 2018 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 ran from 12th and Hamilton Streets to the Immaculate Conception Church on Ridge Avenue. The Parade will celebrate its 61st Anniversary on March 18, 2018 departing from the Allentown Fairgrounds at 1:30 pm, and for the third year the Presenting Sponsor will be GIANT Food Stores. For more information or to participate in the 2018 Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade go to www.allentownstpatricksparade.com.
Information provided to TVL by:
Jennifer Eck, LLC
