A Website of the Shamrock Club of Wisconsin

Beannachtai na Feile Padraig
The Blessings of St Patrick Upon You

Cead Mile Failte! 100,000 welcomes to the Official Website of Milwaukee's St. Patrick's Day Parade. Our city celebrated the nation's 7th earliest St. Pat's Parade in 1843. The Shamrock Club of Wisconsin has produced the Parade continuously since 1967. It is also one of the largest St. Patrick's Day Parades in the nation.

43rd ANNUAL PARADE TOOK PLACE
MARCH 14, 2009

43rd Annual Parade - Downtown Milwaukee

Our parade for 2009 is one for the books. It was the best attended, with an estimated 130,000 plus spectators lining the route. We had the greatest parade in Wisconsin, with almost 135 units marching. The entire event took about one hour and fifteen minutes, with brisk marching the course of the day.

The downtown parade has been the largest parade of any type in Wisconsin for the past five years. Since its return to downtown Milwaukee, the Shamrock Club and Westown have produced the greatest family friendly event of the season. We had five Irish dance schools, pipe bands, clowns, drill teams, marching bands, and most Irish organizations in the greater Milwaukee area. It was a spectacle to behold, and a very Irish display of our honor to St. Patrick.

Thank you to all of the people who joined their friends and family for the greatest day of the year. It was the largest attended parade to date, with an estimated 130,000 people watching, and helped make Milwaukee's Irish history. It was a great day to show off your Irish pride. And remember - Everyone is Irish for St. Patrick's Day!!!

New Honorees Selected

The Shamrock Club selected its 2009 Honorees. Our honorees include Chuck Ward, the 2009 Irishman of the Year, and Kathy Donovan, our 2009 Irish Rose. Leading the parade will be our 2008 Parade Marshal, Bill Sherry.

Lineups are posted on Units Page

PARADE WINNERS 2009

• Thomas Smith- Best Irish Unit -- Glencastle Irish Dancers
• Best Float-- Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judges
• Best Marching Unit -- Milwaukee Hurling Club
• Best Musical Unit -- Shamrock Club Color Guard Pipes and Drums
• Best Parade Unit -- United States Marine Corps, Fox Company 2nd Marines
• Directors Choice of Merit --Trinity Irish Dancers

New For 2009

• An estimated 130,000 watched the 2009 St Patrick's Day Parade
• Shamrock Club Post Parade Party is Free in 2009
Due to the poor economy, the Shamrock Club Post Parade Party at the ICHC will be free this year. It is our give back to the community.
• Drum Major John Coleman, formerly of the Cleveland Firefighter's Memorial Pipes and Drums

Drum Major Coleman achieved fame when he nodded at President Barack Obama at the Inagural Parade.
• Food Collection by the Friends of St Patrick Centre Milwaukee Chapter and Milwaukee Hunger Task Force


• Hilton Milwaukee city Center St. Pats Kickoff Special Package


• Download our 2009 St Patrick's Parade Brochure here
• Park for $2 at the Shops of Grand Avenue during the parade.
• Shuttle Service to and from the ICHC for the Post Parade Party.
Stops at the Trinity Three Pub, Maders, and Mo's. the buses will be marked.

DOWNLOAD PARADE APPLICATION

THE POST PARADE PARTY WAS FREE

JOIN US ON MARCH 13, 2009

Contact Us
Parade Information Line
414-305-1961
Mike O'Leary
mickeyoleary1@yahoo.com