St. Paul, Minnesota’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Celebrations
1.) All vehicles must be approved and pre-registered with St. Paul’s St. Patrick’s Association.
2.) No public drinking allowed. This means marching in the parade or otherwise on any of St. Paul’s public streets.
3.) No advertisements of any kind is allowed in the parade whether political or otherwise. There is no allowance for the handing out of fliers, candy or any other objects by parade participants before during or after the parade. The only exception to this rule is St. Patrick’s Day buttons.
If you wish to march in the parade but do not have an organized, come early (everyone is lined up by 11.45 a.m. as the parade starts at noon sharp regardless of the weather) and look for the sign representing the Irish County from which your forefathers came, or the club or organization with which you would like to march with for this gala occasion. Every unit is required to have its banner clearly shown with its line up number, so you should be able to find your choice quite easily. For more information on the parade and how to actively participate, you can check out the St. Patrick’s Day Associations website at http://www.stpatsassoc.org/ or call 651-256-2155 and leave a message.
St. Paul is also known for its Irish themed bars and pubs. This means a lot of entertainment to choose from on St. Patrick’s Day. The following is a list of the more popular leprechaun’s hangouts.
1.) O’Gara’s is located at 164 Snelling Avenue South in St. Paul, Minnesota. This Pub was opened in March of 1941 and is literally bathed in Irish history. They have a main bar, a Shamrock room (opened in 1981 basting jazz and big bands along with acoustic sing alongs), and O’Gara’s Garage (opened in 1985) boasts itself as one of St. Paul’s premiere music clubs that features local talent. O’Gara’s can be reached via their website at http://www.ogaras.com or by calling 651-644-3333.
2.) Billy’s, located at 857 Grand Avenue in St. Paul, Minnesota can be reached by calling 651-292-9140. Billy’s boasts a full menu in three separate bars, a glass enclosed dining room with a fireplace, as well as pool and darts. All of this is in a comfortable smoke-free environment. You can browse their website at http://billysongrand.com
3.) McGovern’s is located at 225 7th Street West in St. Paul, Minnesota. This Irish Pub has been around for over 60 years. They can be reached by calling 651-224-5821 or you can browse their website at http://www.mcgoverns.biz/club.htm to see their specials, hours and any upcoming special events.
4.) Costello’s is located at 393 Selby Avenue in St. Paul, Minnesota and can be reached by calling 651-291-1015. I could not find a website for this establishment but have heard that their atmosphere is comparable to McGovern’s and O’Gara’s.
5.) Dubliner, located at 2162 University Avenue West in St. Paul, Minnesota, hosts an annual two day tent party over St. Patrick’s Day. For more information call 651-646-5551.
6.) Half Time Rec is located at 1013 Front Avenue, right across from Dubliner, in St. Paul, Minnesota. The St. Patrick’s Day line-up includes traditional music from the Irish Brigade, who have played the Rec since 1983, and the band Spincil Hill. The Half Time Rec can be reached by calling 651-488-8245.
This is just a small sampling of the Irish pubs located in this historical city. St. Patty and St. Paul go hand in hand no matter which celebration you choose to attend on St. Patrick’s Day.
