For Immediate Release

2008 St. Patrick’s Parade in St. Paul to be held on March 15^th

St. Paul, Minnesota, January 9, 2008

The 2008 St. Patrick’s Parade in St. Paul will be held on Saturday March 15^th at Noon.  The parade will follow the same route as in past years starting at Fourth and Sibley Streets and traveling west on Fourth ending at Rice Park.  To sign your group up for the parade visit www.stpatsassoc.org or call 651-256-2155.  

It is important to note that the parade is being held two days earlier than the traditional St. Patrick’s Day of March 17^th.  The reason for this is that the 17th falls within the observance of Holy Week in 2008.   The Catholic Church has officially moved the feast day of St. Patrick to March 15^th to avoid conflicting with Holy Week.  The last time St Patrick's Day had to be moved was in 1940 when it was changed to April 3 ^rd because it coincided with Palm Sunday.  The next time this will happen is in 152 years.

The St. Patrick’s Association has organized the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Saint Paul since 1967.  Over 100,000 people were in attendance in 2007, making it the most successful parade in our history.  The association is a private organization that receives no funding from the City of Saint Paul. Expenses associated with putting on the parade are covered through various fund raising efforts.  The Association’s largest fundraiser is the sale of official St. Patrick’s Day buttons.  Last year over 5,000 buttons were sold.  The Association also hosts the Big Button Auction where the first button of the season is auctioned off along with other items.  Another event is the Wearin’ O’ the Green Dinner held in early March each year.  Details on these events can be found at www.stpatsassoc.org. 

The St. Patrick’s Association is active within the community all year long. Association members make hospital and nursing home visits, participate in parades, have a presence at the Irish Fair on Harriet Island, and give time and money to numerous other non-profit organizations.  Money collected in excess of the Parade expenses are donated to local charities each year.  Since its inception, the Association has donated more than $101,000 to charities in the Twin Cities. Past beneficiaries include the Red Cross, the Gillette Children’s Foundation, the Dorothy Day Center, and the Saint Paul Food Bank just to name a few.