Update: The Shamrock Run and St. Patrick’s Day Parade have been postponed. Makeup date TBD.
A decision was made on direction from Ulster County and the UC Department of Health to cancel/postpone the annual Kingston St. Patrick’s Day Parade scheduled for March 15th, due to the rapidly developing Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation.
Consequently, the Shamrock Run has also been postponed. We have every intention of running this race at a later date when this situation is under control. At that time all entries will be honored and souvenirs will be presented to participants.
The City of Kingston is gearing up for its 33rd annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, preceded by its 32nd annual Shamrock Run, to be held on Sunday, March 15. Both follow essentially the same two-mile Broadway course, which is mostly flat but ends with a long downhill approaching the Rondout riverfront. Runners step off at 12:50 p.m. sharp from the Academy Green, with parade marchers departing at 1 p.m. from Kingston Plaza.
Believed to be the largest race between New York City and Albany, with 4,500 or more runners expected, the Shamrock Run does not time runners (though a clock is posted at the Finish Line for those who wish to keep track of their own times). Immediately following the race at 1:30 p.m., registered runners will be invited to a Post-Race Party at the Rondout Neighborhood Center at 105 Broadway. Participants must be present to win prizes in the random drawing.
For information about race registration, visit www.shamrockrun.org/register. The fee is $25 to sign up in person: on March 14 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hudson River Maritime Museum Boat School Classroom Building at 50 Rondout Landing, or on Race Day from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. across from Academy Green at the Governor Clinton Apartments at 1 Albany Avenue. Proceeds from the 2020 Shamrock Run will benefit Raising Your Awareness about Narcotics.
Co-sponsored by the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) Fr. Con Colbert Woulfe Division 1 and the Ladies’ Ancient Order of Hibernians Division 5 of Ulster County, the 2020 Kingston St. Patrick’s Day Parade will honor Harry Woltman as Grand Marshal. The parade honors Woltman’s retirement after 32 years as a member of the Kingston Police Department. His mother immigrated to the US from Dungloe in County Donegal. Mayor of the Day for the parade will be Pat Schiskie; Erin Creeden is this year’s Irish Princess; and Samuel Vasquez will be the Bearer of St. Patrick. This is a judged parade, with trophies awarded for the Best Band, Best School Unit /Float, Best-Decorated Fire Department, Best-Decorated Float, Best Original Group and Best Original Irish Spirit.
Sunday, Mar. 15, Shamrock Run 12:50 p.m., $25, Parade 1 p.m., Broadway, Kingston, www.shamrockrunners.org
Join the family! 
