Irish Channel Parade

The Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day Club has held a mass and parade for over 60 years. Rerouted due to construction, the over-1400 (often drunk) paraders drew a straight line through the city but still managed to be spread out and entertainingly-less-organized by the time they hit our spot. Wearing black suits with green accessories (many in kilts), walkers exchanged silk flowers for kisses from women and children. Floats toss cabbage, carrots, Moon Pies,  Lucky Charms and Irish Spring soap in addition to the traditional throws of beads, toys and cups.

Irish Channel Parade 2014

The Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day Club was established in 1947 and has held a mass and parade for over 60 years. I’ve been attending for 5 of those, each year adding more trinkets to my costume and more recipes for the cabbage I catch. A friend of mine from college was visiting and it was her 2nd parade ever (her first was the Molly’s parade the day before). She arrived ready in a green shirt and green pinwheels spinning on her head. Not 24 hours in New Orleans and she was already getting the hint that nothing is “too silly” here.