We love St. Patty’s Day! Yes, we happen to have some Irish heritage (which you may have already guessed from all the red hair and freckles in my posts!) but it is just a fun holiday for everybody. We start off the day with green pancakes, pick out our favorite green clothes and enjoy Old Sacramento’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
This year, the 14th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival will be held a little early on Saturday, March 13th. They have changed the date, time and parade route this year…so even if you’ve gone before you’ll want to check out the details.
My family loves this event! We bring snacks and have a great old time watching the parade go by! The kids dance to the music and giggle at all spectators that have dyed their hair green. Here are some pictures from the 2008 parade. (We were sad to miss last year’s.)
There will be Tartan-clad Highlanders, bagpipers, Irish dancers, school bands, military regiments, police and fire representatives, costumed marchers and many other cultural organizations.
There’s plenty to see and do before and after the parade, as the streets of Old Sacramento come alive in a family-friendly event appropriate for all ages. Live Irish-themed music, Celtic dancers in elaborate costumes, and the wildly popular Ophir Prison Marching and Kazoo Band, will all perform. During the evening many restaurants feature Irish menus or specialties.
The Celtic festival in Waterfront Park (1000 Front Street) will be from noon – 6pm and the parade steps off from a new location (2nd and L Street) promptly at 1pm and proceeds throughout the district. Click here for more info.
This event is FREE but be prepared for a flat parking fee in Old Sacramento’s garages. It is cash only and usually runs between $10 – $12.00 for special events.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Written by Keilah Woodard
My love for exploring and creating experiences with my three kids led to the founding of SacramentoSidetracks.com in 2009. I realized that Sacramento has so much to offer and I was excited to share my findings with other parents. Besides simply having fun, these are the other positive side effects of taking my kids on outings that I’ve discovered: we have quality time together away from the distractions at home, we cultivate our curiosity, learn new things, conversations are triggered by what we see and do, we connect and bond as a family, and we create new memories. Ready to get sidetracked, too? Let me be your guide!
