The Shamrock Club of Wisconsin’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade returned to Downtown Milwaukee for the 52nd year on March 10.
The parade kicked off on Wisconsin Avenue at Old World Third Street and rolled its way through the city streets and crossed the Milwaukee River. The event remains Wisconsin’s oldest and largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration.
Although the Shamrock Club of Wisconsin has hosted and produced the parade for more than a half century, the event dates back to 1843. It predates the incorporation of the State of Wisconsin and the City of Milwaukee, making it the sixth oldest St. Patrick’s Day Parade in the nation.
The Friends of St. Patrick-Milwaukee Chapter and the Ancient Order of Hibernians, in partnership with the Hunger Task Force, pushed grocery carts along the route to collect non-perishable food items and cash donations during the parade. Four out of ten children in Milwaukee go to bed hungry every night, according to Sherrie Tussler, Executive Director of Hunger Task Force.
The 2018 parade featured more than 100 participating organizations, including Irish dance groups, pipe and drum corps, along with local celebrities and dignitaries. It concluded a week of Irish entertainment and celebrations hosted by the Westown Association.
