St. Patrick’s Day is officially March 17, but if you’d enjoy some Irish-accented fun a wee bit early, come to Kingston on Sunday, March 11.
Co-sponsored by the Ancient Order of Hibernians’ Fr. Con Colbert Woulfe Division 1 and the Ladies’ Ancient Order of Hibernians Division 5 of Ulster County, in cooperation with the City of Kingston, the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade – now in its 31st year – steps off from the Kingston Plaza in the Uptown Stockade area at 1 p.m., heads over to Broadway and down through Midtown to the Rondout District before breaking up into merry roving bands of revelers. Besides local dignitaries, parade VIPS for 2018 will include Paul Tully as Grand Marshal, Madison McDermott as Irish Princess, Jim Bruck as Mayor of the Day and Evan Naccarato as Bearer of St. Patrick. There will be plenty of marching bands, floats, community organizations and businesses participating as well.
For more info on the 31st annual Kingston’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, call (845) 338-6622, e-mail events@ulsteraoh.com or visit www.ulsteraoh.com.
Since 1988, the Ulster County seat has traditionally kicked off the day of the St. Patrick’s Parade with the popular two-mile Shamrock Run, anticipated to have as many as 5,000 participants this year. Registration begins at 10 a.m. at the Governor Clinton Apartments at 1 Albany Avenue. Runners gather at Academy Green, where the race itself starts at 12:50 p.m. sharp. The Finish Line is at the foot of Broadway in the Rondout District.
The entry fee for the Shamrock Run is $25 if you preregister by March 10, $30 on Race Day. Funds raised benefit a different local charity each year; the beneficiary for 2018 is the Kingston Catholic School Children’s Program. For registration forms and other info, visit www.shamrockrunners.org.
Join the family! 
