It's Back! Worcester Resumes Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade
WORCESTER (CBS) – The sights and sounds of the Irish are just about everywhere in Worcester – on rooftops, in stores and in restaurants as the city prepares for the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Sunday.
Patsie Dugan's owner Patrick Patton said there's a saying in Worcester that never grows old, "Spring hasn't sprung until St. Patrick's day is done, and the parade kicks off St. Patrick's Day week, and we are all excited. We haven't had this in two years."
Not too far down the road is The Tinker's Cart. Erin Griffin says it's the only remaining Irish clothing and gift store in Worcester. She's excited for the weekend, and people are spending.
"Everyone coming in keeps telling me they're getting stuff for the parade. They're coming in and getting beads, sweaters, T-shirts, especially for the kids," Griffin said.
Many of these businesses were hit hard during the pandemic. It's been two years since Worcester has had the St. Patrick's Day Parade.
"It stung because, of course, running an Irish store, it's our favorite time of year is getting ready for St. Patrick's Day."
"It hurt everyone. Restaurants took it on the chin, but we're here, we're not going away, we fought through it, and we can't wait until Sunday," Patton said.
Parade Chairman Mary Ellen Murphy says the mile-and-half route from Webster Square to Elm Park will be extra special this year. And the parade is being dedicated to all the essential workers of the pandemic.
"The food workers and the janitors and the cable guys and National Grid and everybody else that did something to help somebody along the way to survive this," she said.
This marks the 40th anniversary of the parade in Worcester. Organizers are expecting a record turnout of more than 30,000 along the parade route.