First-ever Pittsburgh St. Patrick's Day Parade T-shirt introduced

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh St. Patrick's Day Parade introduced Thursday its first-ever official parade T-shirt.

In anticipation of Pittsburgh's St. Patrick's Day Parade in a few weeks, the Parade Committee revealed the distinctive green shirts accented in white and orange as they came off the presses at All Pro Embroidery.

For many years, parade-goers have asked the committee for an official shirt, and this year, the committee has responded by introducing a design for the 2013 parade that is sure to be a collectible for years to come.

This year's shirt design pays tribute to the 23,000 parade participants and the hundreds of thousands of spectators who line the streets of downtown Pittsburgh each year to celebrate the region's Irish heritage.

The official parade T-shirt is available at retailers and T-shirt vendors throughout the city in the weeks leading up to the nation's second-largest St. Patrick's Day parade.

Some of these locations include: Mike Feinberg, Yinzers, and the Black and Gold store in the Strip District; Hometown Sports at Station Square; Definitely You in Brentwood's Towne Square; S&S Candy & Tobacco on the South Side; and the gift shop at North Side's Allegheny General Hospital.

A portion of the shirt's proceeds will go to the Irish Society for Education & Charity, Inc., the nonprofit parent of the Pittsburgh St. Patrick's Parade Committee.

Each year, the parade draws 23,000 participants, 200 marching units, including 18 marching bands, floats and many other groups representing several Irish heritage and other ethnic heritage organizations.

In 2012, the Parade drew over 350,000 spectators on a warm, sunny day.

WPXI