Break out your green! Muskegon’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade set for Saturday, March 14
The Muskegon St. Patrick’s Day Parade is set to return for its ninth year on Saturday, March 14, when thousands of spectators are slated to line the city’s downtown streets for the annual festivities.
Drawing a colorful crowd decked out in everything from shamrocks and green wigs to leprechaun costumes and emerald-colored tutus, the parade will kick off at 11am at 4th Street and Clay Avenue and will run east to along Clay to Jefferson Street. Mike and Nancy Hennessy, the owners of Hennessy’s Irish Pub, will serve as the parade’s grand marshals.
The event is sponsored by Hennessy’s Irish Pub in downtown Muskegon and JCI Greater Muskegon, a nonprofit often referred to as the Greater Muskegon Jaycees.
Event organizers are still accepting additional marchers and floats to register for the parade. The only cost to march or sponsor a float is a non-perishable food donation to benefit Catholic Charities West Michigan food pantry.
Families, organizations, sports teams, fraternal groups, businesses, marching bands, churches, and schools are invited to march in the event. Marching banner groups, floats and vehicles of all types are welcome to participate.
“JCI Greater Muskegon is thrilled and honored to be able to host this wonderful event each year,” Jaycee President Keria Shineldecker said in a press release. “We encourage everyone to come and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with us and donate to a great cause. It is a staple event for March in Muskegon.”
If your family, organization or group wants to march in the Muskegon St. Patrick’s Day Parade, sign up online at jcimuskegon.org/theparade or contact the Greater Muskegon Jaycees at parade@muskegonjaycees.org. Registration forms are due back to the Greater Muskegon Jaycees by March 8.
Throughout the week, Hennessy’s is offering a full slate of St. Patrick’s events. The Hennessy’s festivities will be held as follows:
Tuesday, March
7pm: Learn all about Irish whiskeys at Whiskey School. Click here for more information and to reserve a spot.
Wednesday, March 11
6:30pm: Create a “St. Patty’s gnome” at this “Cocktails & Canvas” event. Click here for more information and to reserve a spot.
Saturday, March 14
11am: The parade
11am: Downtown Muskegon St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl
12pm: Steeple Hill will perform.
3pm: Irish Bagpipers will perform.
4pm: Bucket O’Maybe’s will perform.
8:30pm: Costume pub parade
9pm: Costume contest
9pm: The Conklin Ceili Band will perform.
Monday, March 16
6:30pm: Help raise $25,000 for the Catholic Charities West Michigan baby pantry at the Honor St. Patrick Fundraiser with guest bartender Father Matt Barnum. Click here for more information.
Tuesday, March 17
Hennessy’s will host a day-long St. Patrick’s Day Celebration.
12pm: 47th annual Irish flag raising, held at Hennessy’s parking lot.
12pm: David McIntire will perform.
3pm: Guinness glass engraving
4pm: Uneven Ground will perform.
9pm: Legal Rehab will perform.