No Clydesdales but a record number of floats and bagpipers for St. Patrick's Day parade
The 2022 Savannah St. Patrick’s Day Parade was the shortest in recent memory, with entrants limited to 280 in consideration for the then still-lingering COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the cancellation of the 2020 and 2021 parades.
For 2023, the Parade Committee is catching up to the pent-up demand.
According to General Chairman Ashley Norris, this year's parade will feature a record number of both commercial entries and fife and drum units. The total number of entries exceeds 340 units.
"Last year, we planned with the knowledge that we might not have a parade due to COVID-19 numbers - they were on the rise at the time, or at least fluctuating," Norris said. "But this year, everybody's pretty engaged and we're looking forward to a great parade."
Units publicly committed to the 2023 parade include the University of North Georgia's famed Golden Eagle marching band and a float sponsored by River Street Sweets, a Savannah-based business celebrating 50 years of candy making.
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A longer parade doesn't mean a long afternoon. According to Norris, the parade committee's adjutant staff - the logistics wizards behind the parade - have targeted 2:45 p.m. for the parade's finish in front of the viewing stand at Bull and Liberty streets.
Those on the lookout for the famed Budweiser Clydesdales will have to wait a year. The majestic horses and the iconic beer wagon are scheduled to appear for the 200th anniversary parade in 2024.
Latrice Williams is a general assignment reporter covering Bryan and Effingham County. She can be reached at lwilliams6@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: St. Patrick's Day Parade participants in Savannah, Ga.
