St. Patrick's Day Parade at Balboa Park

The 30th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade springs forth on March 13, the Saturday before the official day that honors the Patron Saint of Ireland, with a gathering on the west side of Balboa Park that’s expected to attract up to 50,000 people. The Irish Festival along Sixth Avenue from Laurel to Quince Streets runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. the same day, offering two entertainment stages, two beer gardens, a Kids Zone, and a Celtic Village where it’s always the year 1582.

Details of the event can be found online at www.stpatsparade.org. The Parade and Festival are presented by Guinness. After March 1, the website will also offer a free school teaching curriculum suited to a broad range of subjects that pertain to Irish culture.

San Diego’s many Irish groups join together this year to offer the Parade and Festival with thanks to those in uniform: “Celebrating 30 Years of Community Unity with Special Thanks to our Veterans and Military.” Serving as Grand Marshal will be the oldest living Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, Lt. John Finn.

He’ll be accompanied by other heroes of World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf in a parade with 150 entries that includes Police and Fire Department units such as the Emerald Society, equestrians (including the unique miniature horse Paddy O'Pony), five marching bands and three bagpipe contingents (including the All-Star Marching Band from Dublin), dancing groups, representatives from Ireland, roller skaters, the reigning Miss Colleen, San Diego’s current winner of the Smiling Irishman contest, along with antique cars, clowns, and Corvettes.

Among the honored veterans in the Parade will be Col. Jay R. Vargas (Ret.) USMC, a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for his service in Vietnam; Sgt. Frank Sexton, who fought in World War II with the US Army Air Corps and was a POW in Germany; Brig. General Michael Neil (Ret.), a recipient of Navy Cross for his service in Vietnam; Delmar Miller, Army veteran of Korea and a former POW; and Margie Johnson, Vietnam Wave and longtime volunteer for the Irish Congress of Southern California.

Two outstanding organizations are being honored at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade: OMBAC, the Old Mission Beach Athletic Club, which will be represented by its President, Michael Scheuch; and the Challenged Athletes Foundation’s Operation Rebound, represented by program manager Nico Marcolongo, himself a wounded veteran. Founded in 2004, Operation Rebound provides unparalleled sports opportunities and support to those in any branch of military service as well as to first responders who have suffered permanent physical injuries in the line of duty.

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade steps off at 11 a.m. from the corner of Sixth and Juniper Streets, travels north on Fifth Avenue to Upas, then west for a block and south on Sixth Avenue to conclude at Laurel Street. The parade Judging Platform will be located on Fifth Avenue between Spruce and Thorn Streets.

To begin the day, a Catholic Mass will be conducted by the oldest practicing Priest in California, Msgr. Patrick O’Neill, starting at 7:15 a.m. in the Imperial House, 505 Kalmia Street.

After a breakfast for dignitaries hosted by the Irish Congress of Southern California, a formal flag-raising ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. at the corner of Sixth and Laurel, with US and Irish flags presented by a US Marine Corps color guard. The Star Spangled Banner and Amhrán na bhFiann (“The Soldier's Song”) will be played by the US Marine Corps Band, which will also march in the Parade. Msgr. O’Neill will be joined in the invocation by Marine Corps Chaplin Father Kevin Sweeney.

The Irish Festival, two beer gardens will open at 11 a.m. to serve ice-cold Guinness, Harp, Miller Lite, and Sharps beer. Entertainment on the Festival’s two stages will run from 1:00 to 5:30 p.m. The Festival and its entertainment are free to the public, and there is no charge to enter the beer garden but visitors must show identification to be served.

At the corner of Sixth and Quince, visitors will find a Celtic Village where it is the year 1582, and a troupe of renaissance re-enactors portray the daily drama of the soldiers of House McFionn, explaining their history as they do. Kids and adults alike will be amazed by authentic fighting demonstrations as well as Irish dance, song, crafts and story-telling.

The Festival will offer an entire Kids Zone full of games, rides, llamas, face-painting and other fun, while adults will enjoy strolling amidst the booths that offer Irish crafts and a variety of snacks and meals. The Irish Congress of Southern California will display a 2010 Harley-Davidson Model FLSTC “Firefighters Special” Heritage Softail Classic motorcycle that is the grand prize of a raffle drawing. Raffle tickets will be on sale.

In the Patriot Zone, veterans and members of the Irish community will gather to swap stories and share fellowship with services and information provided by the USO, Operation Homefront, the Challenged Athletes Foundation, Operation Caregiver, The Chosin Few, and other volunteers.

Festival entertainment includes the bagpipes and drums of the San Diego Firefighters Emerald Society; Brian Baynes, a frequent guest artist of the San Diego Symphony who has performed with many world-renowned names in Celtic music; recording artist Tony Cummins, whose pub acts are legendary; Brehon Law, an “in your face” Irish folk rock trio from Carlsbad; popular pub owner and musician Ned Giblin and the Boys; Irish Pub songs performed by Harold & Gabe; original Celtic-style music from San Diego-based Sheela-Na-Gig, Celtic vocal talents Heloise Love & Richard Gordon, and the Shamrockers, the city’s favorite Irish band with a Classic Rock problem.

To stage the annual Parade and Festival, Parade Chair Mickey Michaud leads a regiment of volunteers under the auspices of the Irish Congress of Southern California, founded here in 1980 to promote public appreciation and knowledge of Irish history and culture.