Holyoke Saint Patrick's Day Parade facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Holyoke St. Patrick's Day Parade
Status	Active
Genre	Parade
Frequency	Annually
Location(s)	Holyoke, MA
Country	United States of America
Inaugurated	March 16, 1952
Attendance	400,000
Organized by	Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade Committee
Website	http://holyokestpatricksparade.com
March 17, 2024

The Holyoke Saint Patrick's Day Parade is a big celebration held every year in Holyoke, Massachusetts. It happens on the Sunday closest to Saint Patrick's Day. Hundreds of thousands of people, sometimes as many as 400,000, come from all over the United States of America to watch it. Even famous people like former President John F. Kennedy have been part of this special event!

History of the Parade

Then-Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy at the 1958 Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade. He received an award as an "outstanding American of Irish parentage." Later, this award was renamed the "John F. Kennedy National Award" in his honor.

Holyoke has a strong Irish background. In its early days, the area was even called "Ireland Parish." Because of this, a group of local business people decided to start a Saint Patrick's Day Parade. The very first parade took place on March 16, 1952.

Since then, the Holyoke Saint Patrick's Parade Committee has grown to over 100 people. This committee gives out many awards each year to special citizens. People from all backgrounds, both Irish and non-Irish, join in the parade. It shows how different cultures mix in Holyoke. For example, you might find local sellers offering Café con leche with Irish soda bread. Many different bands from all over the country also take part. These have included the Aqua String Band and the Tian Guo Marching Band.

In 2020, the parade and related events were canceled for the first time in 68 years. This happened because of worries about the coronavirus pandemic. The parade also took a break the next year. But it proudly returned in 2022.

How Many People Attend?

Parade Spectator Estimates By Year (1952–Present)

The parade has grown a lot since it started in 1952. The first parade had about 25,000 people watching. In recent years, over 400,000 people have come to see it. That's about ten times the number of people who live in Holyoke!

Many spectators come from nearby states and even from Ireland. In 2011, a study estimated that the parade brings about $20 million to the local economy each year. This money comes from all the people who visit and spend money in Holyoke.

Parade Honorees and Awards

Robert Barrett Jr., who received the parade's Citizenship Award, waving to spectators in the 1969 parade.

Every year since the first parade, there has been a parade president and a grand marshal. In 1955, the first "Colleen" was chosen. She even got her own court and special throne!

Over the years, many other awards have been created:

• The Thomas Rohan Award started in 1957. It is named after the first grand marshal and honors people who do great work for the parade.
• The John F. Kennedy Award began in 1958. It is given to an "Outstanding American of Irish Descent." Famous singers, actors, athletes, writers, and even an astronaut have received this award.
• The Citizenship Award (1966) honors people who are not of Irish descent but have helped the parade a lot.
• Other awards include the George E. O’Connell Award (1963) for committee members who help with fundraising. The Daniel J. Gallivan Award (1972) is for people who live outside Holyoke but make big contributions. The Ambassador Award (1992) celebrates those who help build connections between the United States and Ireland.

Media Coverage

Many people watch the parade even if they can't be there in person. Over 1.2 million viewers have watched it on the local PBS channel, WGBY, or online. WGBY broadcast the parade every year from 2001 to 2018.

In 2019, WWLP took over as the main broadcaster. They show the parade on their CW channel and also offer a live stream online. Other local news groups, like WGGB-TV and the Springfield Republican newspaper, also cover the event.

Gallery

• 

  Scenes from the Parade in 1973.

• 

  Police officers carrying flags lead the Saint Patrick's Parade in 2019.

• 

  Parade floats, including the Peter Pan parade bus, moving toward downtown.

• Holyoke Caledonian Pipe Band performing in the 2019 Holyoke Holyoke St. Patrick's Day Parade.jpg

  The Caledonian Pipe Band performing in the parade.

See also

• History of the Irish in Holyoke
• Holyoke Caledonian Pipe Band, a group that has been in the parade since the first one. They are the oldest continuously operating pipe band in North America.
• Saint Patrick's Day