The 30th Annual Alexandria St. Patrick’s Day Parade will take place on Saturday, March 5 at 12:30 p.m. in the heart of Old Town Alexandria.
A new parade route has been established for 2011. The parade will start at the corner of King Street and Alfred Street, and proceed East down King Street to the corner of King Street and Lee Street. “We expect the new parade route to eliminate gaps between parade divisions and provide a first class experience for the tens of thousands of people who come to Old Town to enjoy this great day,” said Pat Troy, Ballyshaners chairman and parade master of ceremonies.
This year’s parade will be lead by co-Grand Marshals Tom and Nancy VanCoverden, who are long-time supporters of the Alexandria St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
In addition to the parade, festivities will include a Classic Car Show, held on Pitt Street between King and Cameron Streets beginning at 10 a.m., and a Fun Dog Show held in Market Square, beginning at 10:30 a.m.
All events are free to the public. Parade organizers suggest using Metrorail to the King Street Metro stop, and walking 10 minutes East on King Street to the Parade Route.
All events are sponsored by the Ballyshaners — Gaelic for “Old Towners”. A not-for-profit group, the Ballyshaners’ goal is to promote and preserve Irish heritage through sponsorship of the Alexandria St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Alexandria Irish Festival, held every summer.