Seasonal & Holidays

2016 St. Patrick's Day Parade in Royal Oak: 7 Things to Know

The time of the annual parade sponsored by the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) Norman O'Brien Division has changed.

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ROYAL OAK, MI – Get ready for a sea of Irish green Saturday, when up to 8,000 people are expected to turn out for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade along Washington Avenue in Royal Oak.

Here are seven things to know:

What’s changed? The step-off time for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade has change to 11:10 a.m. Parade participants must be at the Royal Oak Middle School parking lot at 709 N. Washington Ave. by 10 a.m. The 11:10 a.m. start time is a bit earlier than in previous years because of expected railroad traffic.

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Who’s sponsoring it? The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) Norman O’Brien Division is sponsoring the parade as a way to “promote and showcase the Irish community and show we are not all just drunkards,” Steve Zanetti told The Daily Tribune.

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What’s the theme of the AOH float this year? It’s a memorial to the Easter Uprising that occurred in 1916 in Dublin to end British rule and establish an independent Irish republic.

Who else is participating? About 45 groups in all are participating, including — but certainly not limited to — the marchers from the Queen of the Irish society, dancers from the Motor City Dance Co. in Rochester, four dog groups, drummers, floats, and representatives from the Hennessy, Cavanaugh, Clancy, Guirey, O’Connell and Holden Irish families.

Who are the grand marshals? Josephine Flannery Dare, of Royal Oak, and Sean Dare, of Oak Park, are grand marshals. Muriel Versagi of the Royal Oak Historical Society and former Royal Oak City Commissioner Carlo Ginotti are the honorary grand marshals.

What’s the weather forecast? In a word: glorious. Weather.com calls for a high of 65 under partly cloudy skies, with no precipitation in the forcast. You can check the forecast on Royal Oak Patch the day of the event.

What else is going on? When the parade is over, head over to the Fraternal Order of Eagles at 401 E. Fourth Street for food and drink and dance performances and live music.

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