San Francisco to change St Patrick's Day parade for first time in 173 years

This year marks the 173rd St Patrick’s Day parade in San Francisco.

San Francisco’s St Patrick’s Day parade is set to be bigger and better than ever this year, with a new focus on bringing together the entire Bay Area community. The theme of the 2024 parade will be ‘UniteSF’, which will focus on inclusivity and new partnerships.

The mission, according to organizers, is to share St Patrick’s Day with everyone and embrace all the unique cultural groups across San Francisco.

“We’ve always had people from all over walk in the parade itself but what we’re trying to do this year is make the afterparty for everyone,” said organizer James Quinn. “We want everyone in the city to come and enjoy it.”

James is a member of the United Irish Societies of San Francisco, an umbrella group for Irish organizations in the area and the hosts of the city’s annual St Patrick’s Day parade. This is his first year heading up the parade committee, continuing on the work done by former organizer Kathleen Mannion.

It’s been a huge undertaking, but one that he and his team are passionate about. “We’re trying to bring even more people on. Everyone is volunteering their time,” said James.

The subcommittee has launched a new website and social media campaign and recruited performers and food vendors from all over San Francisco’s various neighborhoods. James met with representatives from every cultural group he could think of in the city, talked to the Board of Supervisors to pitch his idea, and brought Mayor London Breed to an event last autumn.

“We had the mayor come out for our Halfway to St Patrick’s Day event and she completely endorsed the idea. She thought it was brilliant. Unite San Francisco – how could it be a bad thing? We’re trying to put on a celebration because the city is getting slammed,” said James.

“I’m here 25 years, my wife was born and raised in the city, I’ve raised two kids here: it’s a great place to live. But if you turn on the news all you see is the opposite. I’ve been all over the country and so many places have the exact same problems we have. So the idea is that we come together and celebrate San Francisco.”

Over 120 floats have already signed up and a number of acts are planned for the post-parade celebration at the Civic Center. “We reached out to people in Bayview, Japantown, everywhere,” said James.

The festivities will get underway with the parade kick off at 11.30am on March 16. The Civic Center Plaza will open at the same time for people to enjoy music, refreshments and vendors while the parade makes it way to City Hall before 2pm.

The Whelan School of Irish Dance will kick off the live lineup at 2.30pm followed by local band The Hooks. The GLIDE Ensemble will also perform for an hour, as will the Dublin Soul Band, led by Eamonn flynn.

James said that attendees can expect plenty of tributes to the late Sinead O’Connor and Shane MacGowan, as well as various instrumentals. Even the parade itself will be getting an upgrade, with players from the Tipperary Hurling Club San Francisco acting as field marshals this year.

“San Francisco is such an amazing place to live – a true melting pot of global cultures. UniteSF will bring the best of these incredibly diverse communities together for one huge celebration of the dance, music, arts, and food of the people and cultures of this fantastic city.”

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