Grab your shamrocks and finest green attire.
The St. Patrick's Day parade is returning to Denver streets for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
The parade returns March 12 after a two-year hiatus and will be celebrating its 60th anniversary. Featuring over 150 floats, bands, dancers and marchers, the parade starts at 9:30 a.m. in downtown, at the corner of 19th and Wynkoop. The route will turn left on 17th Street to Blake Street before ending at 27th and Blake at the Coors Field parking lot.
According to organizers, this year's parade grand marshal will be Dr. David "Doc" Powell, an Irish American with dual citizenship. The 2022 Queen Colleen is Molly Casey, a Denverite with a "a 100% Irish background." She's also representing Denver in the Miss Colorado USA pageant in July 2022. The Little Shamrocks are Charlotte and Wyatt, the original 2020 picks.
More than 450,000 attendees are expected to attend the parade, which will go on rain or shine.
The parade is funded via donations and sponsorships. A GoFundMe page for the parade has about $4,400 out of a $20,000 goal.
"Like many nonprofit organizations, our parade committee suffered financial hardship due to the pandemic," wrote Michael O'Neill, president of the St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee, in the release. "Please share your GREEN in support of our beloved parade by donating to our GoFundMe efforts. Every dollar makes a difference and ensures the future of the Denver St. Patrick's Day Parade!"
