Put on green and celebrate the 39th Colorado Springs St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 11
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)-- The Colorado Springs St. Patrick's Day Parade is returning to the downtown area. Organizers say there will be plenty of fun to be had, but don't forget your shamrocks and kilts
The parade begins at noon on March 11. Thousands are expected to march along Tejon St., from St. Vrain to Vermijo.
"Whats really changed is all the events we've added that lead up to the parade," Coordinator Kaleigh O'Donnell said. "We've always had the 5k but we added the fun run over the years. Next came the bike ride, we did a whiskey tasting this week for everyone to get their Irish whiskey pallet cleansed and ready to go for the weekend."
The parade and celebration activities have changed a lot over the years. But the organizers who started it 39 years ago say what makes it special is how it brings people together over the city's history.
"The Irish population goes back to the settlements in Leadville and the mining heritage that this region has, especially in Old Colorado City where a lot of the ore came down on Palmers Railroad," O'Donnell said. "So it's wonderful to continue to celebrate that piece of our population since we founded our city in 1871."
To Kaleigh and her family, the St. Patrick's parade and events are about celebrating Irish history, culture, family and the community.
"I worked my first event when I was 4 years old," Kaleigh said. "I'm 31 now so I've been doing this for 25 years. It's a family business. My cousins are here today helping on the event site. It's been a family experience every time."
Kaleigh's dad John started the event 39 years ago on the west side after moving back from Denver and feeling like Colorado Springs needed an event like this.
"We moved it to Downtown in 2007 and every year since then it's gotten bigger," Kaleigh said. "There's all these people in the community that love to come out. We love doing it, it's a family tradition."
Although the events leading up to the parade have changed, the family tradition has remained the same.
"It's my favorite holiday because our family comes together and we see all our friends," Kaleigh said. "We have all these wonderful people we've been working with for over 30 years that come out and help."
Before the parade, the Pedalin for St. Patrick's Day 50k Bike Ride and the 5k for St. Patrick's Day Race will take place.
Riders can choose between two courses at the Bike Ride.
The Intermediate and Challenging rides will start at 9:30 a.m. and will begin in the parking lot of Trails End Taproom.
Registration starts at $45 and kids 14 and under can ride either course for free but must be accompanied by a paying adult.
If your legs aren't too tired from biking, the St. Patrick's Day Race will begin at 10 a.m.
Registration will be $35 per person, but if you wait until race day to register in person, there will be a late sign-up fee of $5.
After the parade, there are afterpartys in Downtown Colorado Springs and in Old Colorado City. Such as at Jack Quinns, Tonys, Oskar Blues, and Trails End.
For more information on the Colorado Springs, St. Patrick's Day Parade visit the link here.
