FESTIVAL AND PARADE!!!!  Come Rain or Shine!  Noon - March 15th

The Raleigh St. Patrick's Day Parade is the 2nd largest in the South!!!  The parade is scheduled for March 15th (Saturday) at Noon.  The parade has over 3500 marchers, pipe and drum bands, dancers, floats, military units, local high school marching bands and so much more!  The Grand Marshal is Raleigh City Police Chief, Harry Dolan!

The Green Beret Parachute Team will kick off the entertainment by landing near Moore Square and here is a sample of some of the entertainment to follow:

1:45 - 2:00pm -  NC State Pipe Band

2:05 - 2:20pm    Inis Caire Irish Dancers

2:25 - 2:40pm    Jo Moore Scottish Dancers

2:45 - 3:00pm    Danny Tighe Irish Dancers

3:05 - 3:20pm    Wake & District Pipe and Drums Band

3:25 - 3:40pm     Green Year Round Elementary

In addition to the great street entertainment and vendors you will find some fantastic Irish Restaurants in downtown Raleigh packed to the hilt.  Trust me, I went last year and almost suffocated - a case of claustrophobia BIG TIME!!!!  And regardless of how cool the weather might be? Forget it - if you wander in to some of the restaurants it will be hot!  BODY HEAT!

Be sure to stop in to Tir Na Nog for their after-parade festivities and all day traditional Irish music - WELL worth it!  They have superb Irish fare such as The Wallace (Thyme cured corn beef stacked with homemade coleslaw, Irish malt vinegar fries and Swiss cheese on grilled thick sour dough bread) and my favorite, The Limerick Reuben (Open or closed faced sliced corn beef with sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and a Russian dressing).  For a little heavier meal they have Cottage Pie, Bangers and Mash and Beef and Guinness Pie - FANTASTIC!

Get your green on and see you there!