St. Patrick's Day parade in Savannah: Live updates from Saturday's celebrations
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Happy St. Patrick's Day!
The 200th Savannah St. Patrick's Day parade set off at 10:15 a.m. Saturday, but the celebration started before dawn. As people begin to line the streets, fill the bars and color the town green, the Savannah Morning News team will be updating readers on the happenings of the event.
If you are looking for information such as parking, public restrooms or public transportation, go to our St. Patrick's Day guide.
Follow along below for the latest from Savannah's St. Patrick's Day.
Follow our gallery here for updates throughout the day
Road-tripping: Visit Savannah debuts "Surprisingly Savannah" trolley at St. Patrick's Day Parade
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They had a wheel-y good time
The Wheel Skate Club came out in full force, dressed in roller skates, knee pads, helmets and matching green ties to celebrate the occasion. A mix of new and returning Savannahians, they are excited to partake in the festivities, with some members of the group waking up as early as 3 a.m. to attend the parade.
Aislynn Tierney’s favorite St. Patrick’s day tradition?
“Rollerskating downtown for sure,” she said. “They close all the streets to traffic, it’s the best part.”
'Everywhere I take the bagpipes, it seems to bring people joy'
Nathan Nightingale has been playing the bagpipes for more than 20 years and has been attending St. Pat’s since 2018 at his wife’s encouragement.
His wife has been coming to the parade for over 20+ years and encouraged Nightingale to get involved to have a good experience with good people.
“Everywhere I take the bagpipes, it seems to bring people joy, whether it’s St. Patrick's Day or just out and about,” Nightingale said. “They’re unique and I think they just draw a bit of attention.”
Carry in and carry out
'Storming the beaches'
Austin Amick, in green shirt, of Savannah hit the jackpot when he nabbed spaces in Chippewa Square for three tents. “We were here at 5:45 then stormed the beaches” at 6 a.m. when parade-goers were allowed to move into the square. He and his friends have staked out the same spot for 10 years, when they were students at the University of Georgia. “We used to ask our professors to let us miss exams so we could come to the parade,” he said. “Most of the time they would when they heard we were from Savannah.”
Beer pong rookie
Lauren Rockwell, a Savannah College of Art and Design student from New York City, tries her hand at beer pong. Rockwell and about a dozen friends were set up in Chippewa Square.
Happy Birthday, John!
John Pulte, in black shirt, spent his 40th birthday with friends in Lafayette Square. He arrived at 3:45 a.m. to put his folded tent and chairs near the curb in preparation for the 6 a.m. “rush” to claim space in the square. “It actually works pretty well,’ he said “People work together and are like, “which spot do you want? I want that one.’” He said he sees some of the same people every year.
'ello, Guv-nah!
An interminable wait
A few unhappy car owners receive heft fines for parking in parade zone
About 50 downtown denizens and parade-goers had their cars towed after the 12:01 a.m. March 16 deadline, according to a City of Savannah spokesperson.
Although that number is down from priori festivals, it remains a costly infraction. Car owners will be charged $250, plus another $45 per day for storage after 24 hours. After 72 hours, a one-time $85 administration fee will be levied.
All fees will be paid to the towing company, but drivers must obtain a vehicle release from Savannah Police at 602 E. Lathrop Ave. Proof of ownership is required.
'We're praying for a safe and secure festival, period'
Savannah Police Chief Lenny Gunther said there has been one incident he is aware of so far this year, a hit-and-run on Bay Street last night. Savannah Police arrested the individual allegedly responsible for the incident, Gunther said. He said 275 to 300 SPD officers are working the parade.
“We’re praying for a safe and secure festival, period,” said Gunther. “Our focus is to make sure everyone is safe and has a good time. Hopefully it stays like that.”
Savannah Fire Chief Elzie Kitchen said he isn't aware of any incidents. He said SFD’s shift yesterday lasted until 2 a.m. “The plan for today is to have a parade presence, to have units staged throughout the festival zone, and then we’ll transition to a larger footprint to handle the crowd downtown,” said Kitchen, who said SFD has 98 firefighters on-duty, 22 of whom are on special detail to cover the festival. “We were expecting a larger crowd so we added a couple more units to maintain the safety,” said Kitchen.
The Mahoneys' St. Patrick's Day lineage
Kathleen Taylor (nee Mahoney) poses with a photo of her father and former St. Patrick's Parade Grand Marshal Tom Mahoney. Family member Molly Mahoney (right) said the family has been coming to the parade and securing their spot in front of the median on Oglethorpe Avenue for the last 35 years.Taylor’s son, a freshman at Benedictine Military School, will be carrying the banner at front of the parade and her brother, Tim Mahoney, is chairman of the parade committee.
Three-month old Arlo Rue Horsley is ready for her first St. Patrick’s Day after spending 76 days in the Memorial Health University Medical Center NICU unit. She was born three months early. “She was going to attend this parade!” said her mom, Emily Horsley. Also celebrating in Madison Square are Arlo’s dad, Mick Horsley, and great-grandparents Nancy and Bob Calisti from Pittsburgh, who are attending their first Savannah St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
A story of rebels and their bikes
Longtime Savannahians Kevin and Sharon Browning have been coming to the parade most of their lives, but in the last 4 to 5 years, they decided to deck out their bikes and avoid the traffic coming from their Midtown neighborhood.
For the whole family
St. Patrick's Day wake-up call, aka bagpipes
Grace Thompson's favorite St. Patrick’s Day tradition is the cacophony of bagpipes coming from her dad’s speaker every year at 6 a.m. They didn’t get a chance to do it this year because of friends visiting, but she’s grown to love it over the course of 24 years.Born and raised in Savannah, her family has been coming to the parade for as long as she can remember.
'I love this city. Born and raised, never moved, never will.'
After 60 years of camping out in preparation for the parade, Donna Shepherd decided it was time for a change.“My spot has always been East Broad, and I was there for like 30-something years,” she said. “And then I got tired of sleeping in the median so we found a spot on Bay. Then last year we were like, ‘Okay, we need a house.’”Shepherd, along with her friends and family, were able to watch the parade from a porch on East Bay Street.“We’ve been here since Thursday and it’s been incredible,” she said. “We have stayed on the porch watching everybody go by every night.”“I love this city. Born and raised, never moved, never will move.”
'People are really proud to be Irish'
Jon Conway of the Guard Pipes and Drums band has been a bagpiper for 19 years. A police officer in Morris County, New Jersey, Conway said this was the first year he was able to travel to Savannah for the parade. His grandparents are from Ireland and spoke to how the culture’s charismatic view of humanity brings people together.“People are really proud to be Irish,” said Conway. “It’s the camaraderie. People can relate to each other. Everyone is Irish today.”
Smile and say, 'Lucky Charms!'
Savannah bishops lead the recessional
Mass let out at around 9:30 a.m. at The Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist. Savannah Diocese Bishop Stephen Parkes and Former Bishop Kevin Boland lead the procession out of the church doors.
They came all the way from Ireland
Eoin Gibson and his wife Erica came to visit the hostess city for the first time — all the way from Ireland — to experience a Savannah St. Patrick’s Day.Gibson was wearing a tartan kilt representing the Cannons, his family’s clan back in Ireland. He and the rest of his group with the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick will be marching in the parade later today.“We have a giant Irish flag that today we’ll be carrying,” Gibson said.As for his favorite St. Patrick’s day tradition?“We have a big party and make a Guinness Irish stew,” he said. “And about 40 or 50 people come round to the house.”
Who traveled the farthest to celebrate St. Patrick's Day Savannah-style?
Traveling over 700 miles from Philadelphia, Emily Russell and her family are attending their first St. Patrick’s parade in Savannah. After hearing tales from extended family for years, they decided if they were going to they had to go all-in.It was also the perfect opportunity to see their grandfather, Patrick, who is turning 80-years-old tomorrow on St. Patrick’s day.
The annual gathering of the Finn McCool Fellowship in Lafayette Square
What's the craziest thing you've ever seen during Savannah's St. Patrick's Day Parade?
In his 45 years of attending Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, Aubrey Matthew said the craziest thing he’s ever seen is a whole port-a-potty being thrown into the river with someone inside.Activities like that rarely happen these days, he said with all the rules that have slowly fallen into place over the course of the 200-year tradition. He still enjoys the parade, which his family has been attending for generations. This year was the earliest they’ve ever set up, putting tape around their area five days in advance.
“The whole experience is probably one of my favorite times of the whole year,” Matthew said.
Four decades of gathering for St. Patrick's Day with the Connors and Smith families
Four generations of the Savannah Connors and Smith families have been gathering for the Savannah St. Patrick’s Day Parade for over 40 years. Bret Connors said the group’s numbers have grown over the years with grandchildren and friends many from Savannah or visiting from Atlanta.Connors (center) posed with his fellow early birds who put together their three tent setup along Abercorn Street early this morning.
Some families have marched in the parade for 40 years
For nearly four decades, the Coleman and Shearhouse family has marched in the St. Patty’s Day Parade. It’s an emotional day for Joe Shearhouse as he recollects riding horses in the parade as a youngster.Now, he watches his children, nieces and nephews, ride the family float. The banner has been in the family for decades.His great grandfather, Joseph T. Coleman, served as Grand Marshall in 1982.“It’s about family,” said Shearhouse. “It’s about our kids. It’s about how much they enjoy the celebration of their heritage and where they are from. We try to teach the kids that they are not just Irish. They are part of a culture, whether it be the Catholic Church or the community.”
Family traditions: Multiple generations of Fogarty clan to walk in the 200th Savannah St. Patrick's Day Parade
It’s all hands on deck for Fogarty family members, who are getting their float prepped before they line up for the parade. The name Fogarty is a household name in Savannah's Irish community.John J. Fogarty was Grand Marshall in 1950 and William Fogarty held the same title in 1986. William’s son, Tim Fogarty, and his family are keeping the tradition alive by walking in the parade as they have done for decades.“This parade has so many families, such a long history in Savannah,” said Tim. “It’s about faith, family and friendship. It’s a way to get away from the bad stuff. Everyone is here to enjoy it. It’s like bringing one big family together.”
Eat at Clary's
Annual pancake breakfast keeps parade goers fueled
Gov. Brian Kemp attends mass at the Cathedral
Family traditions: Ansley and other Irish families gather around Forsyth Park
Members of the Ansley family are working hard to get the Ansley Family Float ready before the parade kicks off. The family came together to support Tim Ansley, who was honored as the 2023-2024 Veteran of the Year by the Veterans Council of Chatham County. Ansley also served as the Grand Marshall for the St. Patty’s Day Parade in 2012.
A toast before dawn in Forsyth Park
A group of friends came together for a toast in Forsyth Park to commemorate their early morning festivities.
Taylor Square after the rain
Around 6:15 a.m. Georgia State Troopers kept an eye on parade goers as they staked their claims on Taylor Square as storm clouds break up in the sky after a light rain. (photo courtesy of Carey Schwartzburt)
200th Parade Committee gathers
St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee official portrait taken on steps of Cathedral Basilica St. John the Baptist.
Mad dash at Lafayette Square, 6 a.m.
Just over 300 people were stationed around Lafayette Square by 5:30 a.m., positioning to set up tents and tables. The crowd counted down from 30 seconds, and at 6 a.m. people dashed into the square. Within five minutes, the entire vista of the square transformed, with tents and a flurry of people filling the space.
A few Savannah leaders stood at the Lafayette Square fountain for the countdown. Among them: City Manager Jay Melder, Assistant City Manager Heath Lloyd, and Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce President Bert Brantley.
St. Patrick's Day parade route
The St. Patrick's Day parade falls on March 16 this year, with the actual holiday falling on a Sunday. The route, which can be found above as well as HERE, will start at East Gwinnett and Abercorn streets before heading north on Abercorn all the way to Broughton Street. The route then turns east to East Broad where it will head north to Bay Street. Once on Bay Street, the parade will head west it hits Savannah City Hall, where it will then turn south and take Bull Street to Madison Square, the parade's end.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: St. Patrick's Day parade in Savannah: Live updates from Saturday's celebrations
