St. Patrick’s Day parade returns to Montreal on March 20

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Organizers warned the 2022 edition will be smaller and could still be canceled if the public health situation changes.

Jamie Wikan blows his horn as he takes part in the St. Patrick's Day parade in Montreal on March 17, 2019.
Jamie Wikan blows his horn as he takes part in the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Montreal on March 17, 2019. Photo by Allen McInnis /Montreal Gazette

After a two-year break made necessary because of COVID-19 restrictions, the St. Patrick’s Day parade will return to Montreal on Sunday, March 20.

In a communiqué issued Monday morning, event organizers confirmed the parade would be held, but said that because of the timing, it would be smaller than previous years.

“Normally, we have three to four months to prepare,” said event spokesperson Kevin Tracey. “But now we have only three weeks. Because of this, we will be smaller this year, but we will have twice the excitement and enthusiasm.”

The downsized parade will mainly consist of the Irish community walking together (roughly 500 participants compared with the 3,000 to 4,000 who have participated in previous years). There will be no floats, but bands will participate.

Organizers, stressing that their “greatest priority” is the health and safety of Montrealers, urged would-be spectators to maintain physical distance along the parade route, which will start at Lambert-Closse St. and head east along Ste-Catherine St. to end at Union Ave.

Tracey added that since public health restrictions have not officially been lifted yet, Health Ministry officials reserve the right to cancel the event “if the COVID-19 situation changes from now until March 20.”

The progress of the event can be followed by the United Irish Societies of Montreal facebook pageTwitter accounts (@uismtl) and on its website.



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