Through the years, Pittsburgh’s Irish pride has been on full display through the streets of Downtown the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day.
The St. Patrick’s Day parade started in Pittsburgh in 1869. Parade Chairman Kevin Conboy said It’s known as an event that takes a lot to cancel. Take 1956 when there was a big snowstorm.
“They cancelled the parade well, the men in Oakland were all gathered because they were ready for the parade, and they said to heck with it, they’re marching anyway,” Conboy said.
That group even convinced the police chief to march with them, though he wanted to stop them!
In more recent memory is the Blizzard of 93 where people marched through the streets, despite nearly 2 feet of snow that fell that day.
“The reason I was definitely going to do it no matter what is my grandfather did it in 1956. So I was going to march in that parade whether or not,” Conboy said.
Conboy estimates someone from his family has marched in the Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day Parade for nearly 100 years. This is his 63rd year.
“It’s amazing how Pittsburgh people are, they all go to the same areas every year, you’ll see them on the same corners and you watch these kids grow on up after year after year, the parents and then the grandparents,” Conboy said.
Typically, 400,000 people come to the parade, but it could be as high as 500,000 if the weather is nice.
“They’re talking about the draft and how 500,000 people are coming in and they’re so worried about it and we’re like, we bring them into town every year for the St. Patrick’s Day parade,” Conboy said.
17 marching bands are in the parade this year, they’re one of 200 groups that are part of it, amounting to 20,000 marchers
“There’s a lot of planning involved and as we plan for nine months straight, it’s a lot of work, but it’s all worth it in the long run it’s just a great day for the Irish,” Conboy said.
It costs $50,000 to put the parade on, and one of the ways they’re raising it…is through t-shirt sales.
If you’ve never gone down to the Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day Parade…
“What are you waiting for? It’s time to get down here. You’ll see why everyone’s happy and cheering and you’ll be back year after year after year,” Conboy said.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW