Organizers say St. Patrick’s Day Fest A Success, Despite Cancellation Of Parade

St. Patrick's Day held without parade for first time in 13 years

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Highland dancers at CelticFest in Vancouver. The event was held solely as a street festival, with no parade, for the first time in 13 years. Photo by Stuart Neatby.

Reported by Stu Neatby and Bala Yogesh

For the first time in 13 years, Vancouverites celebrated St. Patrick’s Day without a downtown parade. Organizers of CelticFest, a street festival held in Robson Square, say the event attracted hundreds, but some participants were dismayed by the lack of a street procession.

The shift to a street festival comes at a time when immigration from Ireland is on the rise in Metro Vancouver. Interest in celtic culture still seems strong. But John Donnelly, the production manager at this year’s CelticFest said that rising costs and declining attendance forced organizers to scale back this year’s event.

The Langara Voice headed out to CelticFest and to local celtic pubs to find out if interest in St. Patrick’s Day is in fact on the wane.

 

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