The countdown to this year’s parade has already began and with just under two weeks remaining, plans are at an advanced stage for this year’s parade in Arklow.
If you have not already expressed your interest to take part, it is not too late to pick up an entry form at either “Its’ Fresh” (Tommy Annesley’s Shop) or The Bridge Hotel.
It is hoped to make this years’ parade bigger and better and ask everyone to come out take part and support this wonderful event.
The St. Patrick’s Day Parade presents a great opportunity to showcase your business, club, society or group on possibly the busiest day of the year for Arklow.
The audience will be made up of people from our own community, surrounding areas, tourists and visitors to Arklow so you’ll be showcasing to both existing members / customers but some potential new ones as well.
Everyone, young and old is encouraged to come out on Friday 17th March and celebrate our rich traditional cultures of music, song, dance and enjoy being Irish, and make it one of the biggest parades yet in Arklow. Businesses are asked to decorate shop windows for the weekend, with the Hickson Shield being awarded for Best Shop Window Display.
The following Cups and Shields will be awarded.
- Best Float Chamber of Commerce Cup
- Best Commercial Display Bank of Ireland Shield
- Best Non-Commercial Display Arklow Traders Association Cup
- Best Marching Group The AIB Shield
- Best Traditional Group The Denis Naughter Perpetual Cup
- Most Entertaining Group The Paddy Lynch Memorial Award
- Best Agricultural/Horticultural Display Ernest Sharp Memorial Cup
- Most Topical Arklow Retail & Business Assoc. Shield.
- Best Shop Window Display The Hickson Shield.
- Best Vintage Display The John Swan Cup
- Youth Award Kitty Fisher Memorial Trophy
- Best Uniformed Group Elavon Perpetual Cup
These awards are open to all participants and will be judged on the day.
Please note in the interest of safety, sweets or novelties are not to be thrown from moving vehicles.
Application forms are available from: Cllr. Tommy Annesley, Its’ Fresh, Main Street, 087 2508205 or Jim Hoey, The Bridge Hotel Arklow and please return as soon as possible, once completed. While there is no entry fee, it would be greatly appreciated if you could make a small donation to help defray costs of running the parade in the town.
Please Note : All Marching Groups to assemble on Mellow’s Avenue from 2.30pm on the day, Floats/Displays assemble on Yellow Lane from 2.5pm. Early arrival will facilitate organisation.
The parade will start at 3.00pm sharp Via Mellows Avenue, Navvy Hill, Abbey Street, Hudson’s Square and Main Street. Dispersal after the parade passes the platform at the Court House, Parade Ground, with groups going up St. Mary’s Road and Floats continuing up town. Categories: Float, Marching Group, Traditional Group, Commercial Display, Non Commercial Display, Agri/Horticultural Display. All are welcome.
See our Facebook page also for more information.
