Savannah, Georgia, with its warm sunshine, southern charm and Irish legacy, always attracts large crowds for its grand St. Patrick's Day traditions. But this year, festivities in the "Hostess City of the South" are anticipated to reach new heights in honor of a monumental milestone—the 200th anniversary of its St. Patrick's Day parade.
From grits to beer to park fountains, "Everything is on the table for becoming green," Savannah's Mayor Van Johnson told Newsweek.
For Savannahians and the thousands of national and international tourists, bands and entertainers—including Budweiser's famed Clydesdales—that flock to the city, this year's parade is expected to draw unprecedented numbers.
Tim Mahoney, the general chairman of the St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee, told Newsweek that attendance could be "anywhere between 300,000 and 700,000" revelers.
In the port city, Georgia's oldest, the St. Patrick's Day season is a time of "the three Fs: faith, family and friends," said Mahoney. The city's festivities kick off in February with the Savannah Irish Festival and culminate with the season's crown jewel—the parade.
This year, the parade is set for Saturday, March 16, to reserve Sunday for religious observances, said the mayor.
Throughout the season, committee members and the parade's Grand Marshal participate in more than 50 events, ranging from bike parades and military salutes to children's coloring contests and a Celtic Cross Ceremony.
Notable parade attendees in previous years have included then-Vice President Mike Pence and UFC fighter Conor McGregor.
As Mahoney says, "there's a lot of Irish people in Savannah. And of course, on St. Patrick's Day, everybody's Irish."
Savannah's Irish Legacy
Savannah's St. Patrick's Day celebrations date back to 1824, when the city's oldest Irish organization, the Hibernian Society, encouraged locals to parade through the city's streets in celebration of Ireland's patron saint.
The majority of the Irish in Savannah arrived in the 1830s and 1840s, first spurred by the city's need for labor followed by the devastating Irish potato famine.
"We have many direct descendants of families that have come during the potato famine," the mayor said, noting their origins from Kilkenny, Limerick and other Irish cities. In addition, key leaders of that era shared Irish heritage, including Georgia and Savannah's founder, James Oglethorpe, whose mother was of Irish descent, and the colony's second governor, Henry Ellis (1757–1760).
The Greening of Savannah
One of the season's highlights is the greening of the iconic Forsyth Park Fountain in the heart of the city. During the ceremony, which took place on Friday, March 8, the Grand Marshal, executive committee members and their aides poured more than a gallon of dye into the fountain to turning its waters a vibrant green.
Following this event, nine fountains throughout the city underwent a similar transformation, Mayor Johnson told Newsweek. The origins of this tradition are debated. Many, like Mayor Johnson and the parade's executive committee, believe it started as a prank, which the city subsequently adopted.
Savannah's City Hall and other municipal buildings have been illuminated in green since the start of March, and food and drink items are turned green throughout the week before the big day.
The Big Event: Parade Day
Celebrating St. Patrick's Day in Savannah is popular not only for the city's strong reverence for Irish traditions but also for its warmer weather and open container policy, with the mayor expanding the festival ordinance zone to allow drinking in a larger area.
Hotel occupancy in the city is nearing 90 percent, with some in the historic downtown area at 100 percent capacity, due to the influx of visitors.
"I'll get up at 4 in the morning on Saturday," Mahoney said in preparation for the biggest parade of his lifetime. He plans to attend several breakfasts hosted by Irish societies before joining hundreds of others for Mass at 8 a.m. at The Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist. The parade is set to begin at 10:15 a.m., immediately following Mass.
Hundreds of families, dozens of military units, commercial floats, societies and more than 30 local, national and international bands all march in the parade, Mahoney says. Among them are the Irish city of Limerick's pipe band and The Junkanoo Band from the Bahamas. In addition, according to the mayor, government delegations from Wexford and Limerick will be in attendance.
The celebrated Budweiser Clydesdales will make their first parade appearance since 2018 and will be available for stable visits leading up to Saturday.
Correction 03/15/2024 8:52 a.m. ET: A quote by Tim Mahoney was updated.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
