The annual St. Patrick’s Parade in downtown St. Charles is set to take place Saturday, March 14, event organizers said.
The day will feature a variety of activities, including an opening ceremony, photo opportunities, a scavenger hunt, the annual St. Patrick’s Parade and more, according to a press release from the St. Charles Business Alliance about the event.
The opening ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. at First Street Plaza between Gia Mia and McNally’s Irish Pub & Kitchen. It will include performances from Irish dancers and bagpipers along with a face-painter to help visitors get into the spirit of the day, organizers said.
After the opening ceremony, visitors can choose to take part in a St. Patrick-themed scavenger hunt, according to the release. To participate, individuals will need to locate at least one of 10 shamrocks hidden throughout the downtown outside of local businesses.
Once located, the participant will need to take a photo of themselves with the shamrock, scan the QR code and submit the photo along with the brief form found on www.stcalliance.org/shamrockhunt, the release stated. The form will be online starting on Saturday.
The more shamrocks that are found, the more entries participants get. On March 18, the three winners in the scavenger hunt will be notified via email.
The St. Patrick’s Parade will begin at 2 p.m., stepping off at Sixth Street and Main Street and continuing on Main Street to Fourth Avenue. The parade will include bagpipers, local marching bands and a variety of entries from area groups, organizers said.
There will also be special photo opportunities around town during the event, according to the release.
Many businesses will also be hosting special sales, promotions and events in honor of the day, event organizers said. To learn more about local deals taking place during the St. Patrick’s Parade in St. Charles, go to www.stcstpatricksparade.com/salesandspecials.
“The annual St. Patrick’s Parade draws thousands of attendees, making this the perfect way to honor our community’s rich Irish heritage,” St. Charles Business Alliance Executive Director Jenna Sawicki said in the release.