St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival of Tucson

Sunday, March 17 (St. Patrick’s Day)

Armory Park, 10 AM
Downtown (SE corner of E. 12th Street and S. 6th Avenue, south of Broadway)

A St Patrick’s Day Event

Sunday, March 17, downtown Tucson will come alive with Celtic tradition as the 26th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival brings the Irish spirit to Tucson!​

​​​The St. Patrick’s Day Festival opens at 10:00 a.m. Sunday, March 17 at Armory Park (Military Plaza) on S. 6th Ave, in Downtown, with live Irish music, dancers, entertainment, a children’s game area, and food and merchandise vendors. Irish organizations, ethnic and cultural tables will be set up in the park as well. Festival Schedule TBA.​

​​The one hour Parade will begin at 11:00 A.M. at Pennington & Stone Avenue, making its way through Downtown – around the Presidio – down Main – through the heart of Tucson. ​

​This years Grand Marshal will be Jim Critchley, Tucson Fire Chief.​

​The 2013 parade will feature marchers including floats, military units, local dignitaries, media and entertainment personalities and civic, cultural and social groups. The Tucson parade has a 26-year history and provides a good time for the entire family!

This year this parade/festival is on March 17, 2013 – St. Patrick’s Day. In the past it has been held on a Sunday in March, but not always on March 17, due to scheduling and calendar dates.

Having been “adopted” by an Irish Catholic family of Connecticut while in law school, I learned to bake Irish soda bread and enjoy “all things Irish” excluding Irish whiskey. My husband and I even honeymooned in Ireland, so I have been going to this festival & parade for years now. And I do believe in leprechauns, and the luck of the Irish.

And if you crave corned beef & cabbage & can’t find it at the festival, walk on over a few blocks to new Playground restaurant, which is having an all you can eat offer starting at 11 a.m. at 278 E. Congress, SW corner of E. Congress St. and N. 5th Avenue. Only $5 with a wristband, what a deal for lots of delicious corned beef & cabbage. They’re open to 2 a.m. on Sundays.

UPDATE: change in parade route to Start at E. 16th St. x Stone, north to Ochoa, then east via Scott Ave. to Armory Park. See comment below for link to new map of parade route.