St. Louis prepares for return of St. Patrick's Day Parade downtown

DUBLIN, IRELAND - MARCH 17: Revellers attend the Saint Patrick's Day parade on March 17, 2019 in Dublin, Ireland. Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland is celebrated around the world on St. Patrick's Day. According to legend Saint Patrick used the three-leaved shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to Irish pagans in the 5th-century after becoming a Christian missionary. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)
DUBLIN, IRELAND - MARCH 17: Revellers attend the Saint Patrick's Day parade on March 17, 2019 in Dublin, Ireland. Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland is celebrated around the world on St. Patrick's Day. According to legend Saint Patrick used the three-leaved shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to Irish pagans in the 5th-century after becoming a Christian missionary. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Photo credit Charles McQuillan / Stringer

ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - St. Patrick's Day is actually March 17th, but the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade is Saturday in downtown St. Louis.

Irish consul Joseph McGlynn, Jr. is one of the organizers, "It kicks-off at noon at 20th and Market Street. This will be our 53rd edition of the St. Patrick's Day Parade. The first one was in 1970. We had a layoff last year and the year before, simply because of the (COVID-19) pandemic."

McGlynn was a guest on KMOX's Hancock and Kelley program.

The grand marshal this year is St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson. He told Hancock & Kelley he's prepping for the parade, "I will be in mostly green (attire). I've been practicing for two years. The two years they canceled I actually had my own parade around my neighborhood. So, I'm ready to go."

A special guest this year is Ireland Senator Patrick Casey, who's making his first visit to St. Louis.

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Featured Image Photo Credit: Charles McQuillan / Stringer