Detroit's Corktown gearing up for 67th annual St. Patrick's Day parade
The Motor City is gearing up for the annual St. Patrick's parade in Detroit. The celebration attracts upwards of 80,000 people each year, making it one of the largest parades across the country.
In just two days, the streets of Corktown will be packed with people celebrating the luck of the Irish, but some of the fun started on Friday.
"Beautiful weather, great time on Michigan Avenue, we have a great parade of dignitaries, high school marching bands, we have all the Irish organizations, and it's a perfect family event to come out and recognize the charitable contributions that the Detroit Irish community," said parade chairman Mike Kelly.
The community is getting a jump start on this weekend's celebrations by painting shamrocks on the sidewalks. There are two days to celebrate Irish culture. The parade will take place on Sunday, March 16, at 1 p.m. on Michigan Avenue, while St. Patrick's Day itself will be on Monday, March 17.
"That gives the Irish bar owners and organizations two days of revenue. We keep it in Detroit because Detroit is so diversified, and we relish the opportunity to be with those people," Kelly said.
At McShane's Irish Pub, co-owner Bob Roberts says his team looks forward to the holiday each year.
"We'll do about a week's worth of business on parade day and another week's worth of business on St. Patrick's Day," said Roberts.
The pub's preparations are planned months in advance.
"We're stocked up, staffed up, and ready to go. We've been boiling corned beef and redskin potatoes, carrots and cabbage. We started scheduling bands two months ago. We have bands Saturday, Sunday and Monday. We've got beer literally stacked up to the rafters in our cooler," Roberts stated.
From the food and whiskey to barrels of green beer, Roberts says this weekend never disappoints, and he anticipates a large crowd.
"We have eight barrels of beer, and you get about 180 glasses out of a barrel, and we'll run out," said Roberts.
If you do plan on coming to the parade on Sunday, it starts at 1 p.m. Organizers say get down here early to claim your spot and to find a place a park. Michigan Avenue will be closed off by 9:30 a.m. for the Corktown Races. Click here for a look at the parade route.
