Two years ago, the St. Patrick's Day Parade in St. Paul was just days away when concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic forced organizers to scrap their plans.
"We were all so very sad," said Hayden Kilkenny, Vice President of the Saint Patrick's Association. "We had worked very hard that year too, to have this parade and everything had come together really well up until that moment. And we just had to give it up."
A smaller, outdoor St. Patrick's Day event was held in 2021, but the group eyed the possibility of coming back bigger and better than ever in 2022.
"We've been working on this all year long," added Kilkenny. "We started planning for the parade in September."
Thursday's parade is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. with organizers reversing the route used in previous years. The parade will now start at Rice Park and travel along 5th Street, before ending at CHS Field where the Ballpark Hooley will take place.
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Despite COVID-19 restrictions being lifted and life returning back to a somewhat normal look, Kilkenny says they have faced a number of challenges while planning the event.
"We've been trying to be proactive as possible with our finances and took a big hit the past couple of years with donations," Kilkenny said. "A lot of our sponsors historically have been Irish bars and restaurants. We weren't really able to ask them for donations because they've been hurting so much themselves."
Corporate donations have been a key to getting the celebration planned.
"The part we're having at CHS Field was really an idea to try and fundraise for us going forward because things are getting much more expensive, including permitting and security costs. We really have been thinking of new ideas to make sure we keep this tradition going."
It's a tradition that's been going on since 1967. In fact, 100% volunteer-based group continues to donate remaining funds to local charities including Catholic Charities, Gillette Children’s Foundation, and the Saint Paul Fire Department.
"I think it's going to be a real celebratory atmosphere," Kilkenny said. "It's going to be one of the first community events that we'll all be able to come together and be together."
There is no cost to attend the St. Patrick's Day Parade starting Thursday at noon in St. Paul. The Ballpark Hooley post-parade party is a paid ticketed event with tickets priced a $5 in advance, or $10 at the door.