Florissant schedules two-day St. Patrick’s celebration with parade, 5K and family festival

Mayor Tim Lowry and city event organizers on the City of Florissant podcast announced a two-day St. Patrick’s Day celebration that will include a Saturday kickoff and a full day of events on Sunday.

Joe Egan, who was introduced as a councilman from Ward 3 and identified himself as president of the parade committee, said the weekend begins Saturday, March 14, with a "pack and pickup bridal run" and a Mass at the Old Saint Bernard Shrine listed in the program at 04:00. "But more importantly, this year, we're adding a, mass at the Saint Bernard Scribe, Old Saint Bernard Shrine," Egan said. He said Sunday will be a full day of family activities.

The morning of Sunday’s events will open with a children’s leprechaun dash followed by a 5K run/walk that "will step off" at 09:00 and route through Old Town, including Saint Patrick Lane, Egan said. "It's about a 100 yards," he said of the leprechaun dash, describing it as a way to get kids involved in fitness and community activities.

Egan said the parade will step off from Bangor Park at noon and follow New Florissant Road toward Saint Francis, using the same route the Valley of Flowers parade follows into the park. The accompanying Irish festival is scheduled to begin around 1:00 and run until about 6:00.

Patrick Mulcahy, identified on the program as the city's director of administration and economic development, described the festival as deliberately family friendly, with attractions including a rock-climbing wall, a mechanical bull, a train for children, bounce houses and a "touch a truck" area with fire and police vehicles. "There's so much going on," Mulcahy said, and added the festival will have Irish music on the main stage and corned beef and cabbage from the Knights of Columbus.

Mulcahy and Egan noted that organizers had to cancel the prior year's event after a tornado hit on March 14, and said many vendors and attractions that had planned to appear last year have agreed to return for this year’s expanded schedule.

Organizers said they anticipate about 50 parade units this year, including classic cars, marching troops, elected officials and returning favorites. Egan said people can find sign-up information on the parade website and on the event Facebook page, though applications were nearing the acceptance deadline. Mulcahy added that 5K registrations will be available the day of the run for an additional fee but that late sign-ups "might not" receive a commemorative shirt.

Egan also said the Green Tie event, which had been postponed in January because of a snowstorm, has been rescheduled for April 24 at Catering to You on New Halls Ferry.

The mayor closed the episode by thanking organizers and encouraging residents to attend: "We encourage everyone to come out on March 15," Egan said.

The podcast directs listeners to the parade website and the event Facebook page for registration, schedules and further details.