For the second year running, the coronavirus pandemic has seen organisers cancel the official St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland. This year will see the team behind the world-famous parade pivot to a virtual celebration, making it accessible to anyone with an internet connection.
The online festival will run from 12 – 17 March on a dedicated TV channel and website and will feature performances by musicians, artists and marching bands. Dublin’s parade is the largest in Ireland, typically attracting more than 500,000 people.
“While we cannot gather on the streets for the St. Patrick’s Festival Parade this 17 March, we are reimagining how we bring to life the heart and soul of the national parade,” said a statement from the organisers, who intend to expand the celebration to make the most of its digital reach. The new set-up will allow audiences to ‘participate virtually and enjoy safely from their homes until we can come together again.’
Belfast also has cancelled its St. Patrick’s Day parade for the second year in a row, while it’s a similar story over in the US, where the largest parades are also facing up to the realities of the current situation. Boston – which typically sees over one million gathering in one place – has cancelled its parade completely, while a large question mark is currently hanging over the New York parade, which draws crowds of over two million.
“We’re being told…that at this point at least, and also by the governor and the mayor, that it’s very unlikely we are going to have a full parade,” said parade chairman Sean Lane. “We are hoping for better but we are preparing for the worst.”
