Join us for our 18th annual St. Patrick’s Day parade on Saturday March 17th, 2018. The parade steps off at 11:00 a.m. on the Burdick street Mall, at Michigan Ave. marching south down Burdick street, turning right on to Cedar street and ending in front of the Knights of Columbus hall. The parade goes on, rain, snow or sun.
2018 Grand Marshal
This year’s Grand Marshall is honoring the Kalamazoo Promise. We will have Promise recipients and current KPS students walking to celebrate this life changing gift to our community.
If interested in participating in the 2018 St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 17th or you would like to be a sponsor, please email: margarets74@gmail.com. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade is proudly presented by the Irish American Club Of Kalamazoo.
Friends of the Parade
Sons of Norway Osborne Klein Old World Village George Franklin Shamrock Montessori Center Margaret O’Brien Specialized Staffing Solutions The Ample Pantry Clements for Congress Willis Law Mulder’s Landscape Benac for Congress Liberty Tax Service Jon Hoadley and KCDP Despierta Festival Kalamazoo Wings & Slappy Kalamazoo Rugby Club
See you there!!
Join us after the Parade for a Hooley!
The Irish American Club of Kalamazoo, the Quinn School of Irish Dance and Celtic Seasons have organized a Hooley, an authentic Irish Party, as a fundraiser for local families struggling with cancer. The proceeds this year will be distributed between 2 local families to assist with expenses not covered by insurance.
Our 6th annual Hooley for Healing will be held on Saturday, March 17th at Bell’s, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave, downtown Kalamazoo. (MAP) This annual St. Patrick’s Day event will include Irish Step Dancers, music by Fonn Mor, a silent auction and even a kilt contest. The fun will begin at noon, immediately after the 17th annual St. Patrick’s parade, with the doors opening at 11:00.
Read about our 2017 parade:
Our 17th annual Kalamazoo St. Patrick’s Day parade took place on, March 16th, 2017 in Downtown Kalamazoo. KDPS Chief Jeff Hadley served as Grand Marshall. Kicking off at 11:00 a.m. at the corner of Michigan and Burdick Streets, the parade traveled south down Burdick to Cedar Street, turning right on Cedar St and ending at the Knights of Columbus Hall. Over 50 local groups, families, schools, organizations and businesses participated in the annual event.
Several thousand folks lined the streets of downtown Kalamazoo with green being the color of the day. Shamrocks and Irish flags adorned the warm and sunny Burdick Street Mall. Highlights of the 2017 parade included the Kalamazoo Pipe Band, putting a little “kilt rock” on the mall. Irish eyes were smiling as the Hackett Band kept in step playing some of everyone’s favorite Irish tunes. Proving that you don’t have to be Irish but share a love for Ireland, the Sons of Norway and The Kalamazoo Scottish Festival Association joined in our celebration. Local celebrities from television and radio,as well as several local sport teams participated. Families, proud of their Irish heritage rode in decorated vehicles or marched proudly behind banners etched with their family name or crest. Irish stepdancers kept the beat, local scouting troops, nonprofit agencies, businesses and restaurants all contributed to the fun and success of the parade by passing out treats to the onlookers.
To top off such a fine day, the parade ended with St. Patrick, himself . To find out more about our club or being a 2018 parade sponsor, please email margarets74@gmail.com.