Parade Committee Goals
The main goal of the St Patrick Day Parade Committee is to ensure the long-term sustainability of the St Patrick Day Parade for generations to come. With this goal as our guiding principle, every action we take to support the parade is measured with the following mindset:
- Maintain the St Patrick Day parade on the current and historic Old Metairie route.
- Foster positive parade experiences for all parade participants and parade goers.
- Empower a “safety first” culture within the Parade Committee and all parade units.
- Warrant operational excellence and transparency in the production of the annual St Patrick Day Parade.
Parade Experiences
- Old Metairie Irish Festival - This event takes place on the Friday before the St Patrick Day Parade. This fun-filled, family friendly event is hosted by Gennaro’s Bar and takes place on Metairie Road under the Causeway overpass. The festival features food, drinks, live music, and the presentation of the Parade Committee and the parade Grand Marshal. The event is free and open to the public.
- St Patrick Day Parade - This is the oldest parade in Jefferson Parish, and it is rated as one of the top ten St Patrick Day Parades in the United States. It consists of 110 units featuring marching groups, floats and trucks distributing prized produce and St Patrick Day throws to all parade goers.
- Parade Committee Awards Gala - The Awards Gala takes place a few weeks after the annual parade. The Gala features live music, a dinner buffet, an open bar, and silent and live auctions for attendees. Parade unit awards are given out to the top three places for parade unit groups (marching groups, floats, and trucks) as judged in the prior year’s parade.
Parade Safety
- LA and Jefferson Parish Code Enforcement - The Parade Committee continuously provides updates and guidance to our parade units on all code enforcement regulations as adopted by state and local government.
- Enhanced Communication - The Parade Committee works diligently with local law enforcement and Jefferson Parish leadership to ensure that the parade is safe for all parade goers. This effort consists of pre-parade planning, parade day management, and post parade follow-up processes that allow for the execution of the safest and most family friendly parade event in Jefferson Parish.
- Parade Unit Accountability - The Parade Committee strives to ensure that all parade units follow the guidelines for the parade. These guidelines are shared with the parade unit leaders to ensure the safety of our parade participants and all parade goers. The Parade Committee has instituted a parade unit judging process wherein all parade units are judged and held accountable for any violations that are witnessed or communicated to the Parade Committee. Parade unit violators may receive written warnings, suspensions, or exclusion from future parades if warranted.
Parade Support
- Community Involvement - The Parade Committee is committed to being a "good neighbor" partner to our local community. Our efforts in this regard consist of community outreach to civic associations as well as answering calls, both positive and negative, related to the parade.
- Local Business Engagement - The St Patrick Day Parade touches many businesses in our local community. As such, we work with local businesses to provide sponsorships that highlight these businesses to our parade units and parade goers.
- Charitable Donations - As a 501 c2 organization, the Parade Committee is committed to giving back to our community. This effort includes in-kind donations, scholarships, and financial support as approved by the Parade Committee.