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Home Page > News > San Antonio St. Patrick’s Day Parade cancelled after 44 years - VIDEO

San Antonio St. Patrick’s Day Parade cancelled after 44 years - VIDEO

Mounting costs result in annual street parade attended by 80,000 to be cancelled

ANTOINETTE KELLY,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Thursday, February 2, 2012, 7:06 AM

Updated Thursday, February 2, 2012, 11:31 AM

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"The River Shannon" - San Antonio river dyed green for St. Patrick's Day

Photo by Google Images

The Harp and Shamrock Society of Texas, who have hosted the annual celebration attended by more than 80,000 people for over four decades, said that rising costs forced them to cancel this 2012 parade.

“We are the oldest and largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the state,” society president Terence Peak told Kens5.com.

“The cost that the city fees involve in barricades and police officers plus other fees is over $12,000.”
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“We can’t afford this type of expense and we don’t seem to have any support from the city.”

Peak said that a lack of city support means they have not been granted a waiver for certain fees associated with a parade in the past, and as a result they have cancelled the parade.

San Antonio’s great tradition of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade started back in 1967. Twenty members of the society laid a wreath on the door of the shrine while Irish tunes were played by the Central Catholic High School Band.

According to the society’s site, “In March of 1968, the first St. Patrick's Day Parade started in downtown San Antonio with 250 marchers walking about four blocks to the Alamo.”

Now more than 80,000 San Antonians and visitors watch the parade every year as schools, veteran's groups, local businesses, and representatives of the military community wind through the street. The San Antonians even dye the river green every year and rename it “The River Shannon” for the day.

Peak called on the public and those who support the old tradition to contact their elected officials.

“Talk to your councilman and say ‘We miss this and is there any way you can work with the Harp and Shamrock Society to make it easier on them or affordable for them?’”

Despite the street parade being cancelled, Peak assured that the society would still host a week full of events to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

Here’s the news report:

Nster.com

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joan1954 | Feb 06, 2012, 10:50 PM EST

jb66ss396 the city isn't stupid it just doesn't think Irish culture in a Mexican American city is that important especially when the Irish had a lot to do with private education here. We are now the true minorities. Our parade is not a huge money maker except for the bars and they don't support us.

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marciaashley | Feb 04, 2012, 06:39 AM EST

is all the old traditions going by the wayside. how much did it cost the parades from beginning to now? what is wrong with voulantering by hand to get this tradition going? i used to decorate every year for halloween and other holidays,. do you think i harped about price? no, because i knew they were comming up. i went to yard sales, looked for old trees,wood, and made costumes by hand, and also got the school kids to help.how did people do all this back then? the same as i. you know what i dont see in the parades where i live? the homade floates anymore. and why? because it seems its not important anymore, so what is important? i think people are lost,and have been misguided in the last30 years. by the way i think my decorations were the best homade scenes around here.

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jb66ss396 | Feb 03, 2012, 04:12 PM EST

How stupid can this city be. These events are huge money makers as it attracts people o the city who spend money. Very shortsighted. I think its really a anti-Irish sentiment by the city. In other words....racism.

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joycean | Feb 03, 2012, 10:52 AM EST

IrelandNorth, There's no Hybernophobia in this country. What a crazy idea! We make up one of the largest, best-educated, wealthiest ethnic groups. Everyone wants to be Irish(-American). MotherIrish, some year be in Savannah for St.Patrick's Day. It claims to be the "second largest in America." It is more like Mardi Gras and totally shuts down the city for a week. Actually, Savannah is another of my favorite American cities; we try to get down there at least once a year, and to Charleston.

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jamieLM | Feb 03, 2012, 09:41 AM EST

@IrelandNorth, I think it's more about the cost of the parades and how much money can be raised to finance them than any anti-Irish agenda. Other ethnic festivals usually charge fees to offset the costs. Parades are free to the public, although there is a lot of cost to put them on and the more elaborate they are, the more money is needed. Some cities have larger Irish Am. populations who are willing and able to financially support their parades. @Murph46, you're one of those posters who have a lot of common sense. I always enjoy reading your posts. My mom would call you a "real go-getter." It takes people like you to keep the old traditions alive. @joan1954 - With a much smaller Irish-Am. pop. in SA, I can understand the difficulties that you face in financing a parade. People only have so much money to spend.

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Paradigm | Feb 03, 2012, 08:20 AM EST

relattive - pius platitudes - Of ocurse Don't call youself 'IrelandNorth' please - my experience of its educational system would indicate that Ulster folk can spell!

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IrelandNorth | Feb 03, 2012, 05:53 AM EST

Am I goin' paranoid in my relattive old age, or is there evidence of an hiberno-phobic agenda. First Hoboken, now San Antonio. Where next, Dublin/Ireland? Of ocurse, the Irish government could redirect all that money they're paying to gambling bondholders, thereby putting their patriotism where their pius platitudes are.

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Murph46 | Feb 02, 2012, 06:51 PM EST

MotherIrish-Will go to the Cleveland Parade this year and lament the demise of San Antonio & Hoboken.

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MotherIrish | Feb 02, 2012, 06:09 PM EST

Thanks be to God that I live in Atlanta (formerly Cleveland, OH), cities that love a good Irish parade!! And once again, along with a bunch of other Corvette owners, we will decorate our cars and celebrate. Bring it on!

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Murph46 | Feb 02, 2012, 05:23 PM EST

As I have said I have raised sums of 10-12k b4,40k is a horse of a different color ,damned if I'd let 44 years of tradition go for 12K Just Sayin!

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ballyhip | Feb 02, 2012, 04:37 PM EST

As someone who was associated with the Newport RI St. Patrick's Day parade in the past I can understand the decision of joan1954. When I left the committee a number of yrs ago, the TOTAL cost of the parade was over 40k. Bands, even HS bands, do not appear for free and if they did you would be still liable for the janitor, bus, etc. who must be involved.Since Newport is a tourist (and military) town we do have the monetary support of many businesses but it is like pulling each yr. I remember soliciting one of the national hotel chains who said that they had to run it by their headquarters. Despite many calls, we never did receive a donation. Most of corporations realize that the spike they see in their reciepts in March are due to the Parade and ancillary events but the majority of donors are small businesses or individuals who grew up with the parade. I wish San Antonio well in the future.

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Murph46 | Feb 02, 2012, 02:41 PM EST

jamielm It's just my Irish stubborness that before I would let a 44 year Irish tradition die,I'd fight like hell.I see now too many Irish traditions going by the wayside,Maybe I'm the proverbial Dinosaur but I miss bagpipes where they are no longer etc.I was raised a rebel and I don't quit easy.I regret that in my own family that when I die the biggest traditions will be broken.I guess I wear it too much on my sleeve.

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jamieLM | Feb 02, 2012, 02:26 PM EST

I know the parades are traditional in celebrating St. Patrick's Day, but there are other ways to do it and have a good time. The Dutch and the Germans often celebrate Tulip Days and Oktoberfest sans parades. joan1954 - I admire your dedication in promoting the Irish in San Antonio. @Murph46, congratulations to you on what your organizations have accomplished! It does take a lot of effort. I don't know Joan's situation, but I know there are many factors that can make it easier or more complicated in planning and raising money. For one thing, it helps when everyone is on the same page and there aren't too many uncompromising "chiefs", each with their own ideas.

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Murph46 | Feb 02, 2012, 10:53 AM EST

None of my organizations received help from the city,it was elbow grease and work effort that produced for us.

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Murph46 | Feb 02, 2012, 10:51 AM EST

Joan1954 as I stated I have raised funds for much smaller organizatis and with planning it can be done ,I see no notice that you did not see this coming I simply ask where was the planning?

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