Jacksonville area residents who are eager to celebrate all things Irish are going to have to wait for a little longer this year.
The Jacksonville St. Patrick’s Day parade scheduled for this Saturday, March 12th, is being postponed.
After the last two years of little or no celebrations due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many in the area have been eagerly awaiting the chance to celebrate the holiday in public again.
However, Danny Kindred, proprietor of Don’s Place in downtown Jacksonville which hosts the parade each year, says the weather forecast is forcing the move out of an abundance of caution.
The National Weather Service is calling for temperatures to drop Thursday night with a mix of rain and snow overnight into Friday. Kindred says with the precipitation and cold temperatures including a bitterly cold wind chill expected on Saturday morning, organizers of the parade feel it best to push the parade back a week.
Kindred says the cold and wet or possibly still frozen conditions could make the parade route hazardous and it’s simply just looking like not a good day to have children outdoors to enjoy a parade.
The Jacksonville St. Patrick’s Day Parade will now be held on Saturday, March 19th, and will step off on East State Street at 11:00 am. Participants who are walking or riding in the parade can begin lining up at 10:00 am.