Get ready to celebrate all things Irish at the Lima Irish Parade this Saturday.
LIMA —The 29th edition of Lima’s Irish Day Parade will return this Saturday.
Parade committee member Kelly Stolly said that the event is an important family outing, not just for hers, but for families all over Lima’s north end.
“For our family, it’s kind of like our family reunion,” Stolly, who can be seen with her relatives on their own float each year, said. “We have people coming in from all over the country. Some families will have a car or a truck in the parade and that’s fine too. It’s just a nice day to celebrate the Irish and have a good time.”
As the weather gets warmer and spring draws nearer, the parade, which commences a week of festivities the week of St. Patrick’s Day, is something that the city looks forward to.
“Even if the weather doesn’t cooperate, people are still ready for springtime and it’s just a time of year where they’re tired of being inside in the winter and they’re ready to be outside,” Stolly said. “So if we get a decent day the streets of Lima will be packed with people.”
One year after the parade made its return from a two-year absence caused by the pandemic, Stolly said it should be business as usual.
“It’s one of those things where the parade kind of runs itself,” she said. “We have a core committee, but this parade is a little different than others because we take a lot of pride in family floats and that makes up the majority of the parade along with organizations.”
The parade, which is one of the few Irish-themed parades in the area, benefits the local economy.
“The businesses around town have really jumped on board through the years and it’s not just a nice day to have a break,” Stolly said. “People are out supporting them and since there aren’t a lot of similar parades in the area, we get people coming from Paulding County wanting to be in the parade. And we encourage everyone from surround counties to come out and participate or watch.”
Stolly added that the “eight or nine founding fathers” who started the parade about 31 years ago out of a strong sense of pride in their Irish heritage would be proud of what it has become.
“They were just determined to have a parade and the way it started out we had no idea what it would become,” she said. “Unfortunately, most of them are gone now, but I always like to give them credit for having the vision of the parade and I’m sure many of them would be shocked to see how big it has evolved to.”
If anyone wants to get involved in the parade, Stolly said that even if a participant did not pre-register, the parade committee will try to find a place for them on the day of the parade.
“There are some restrictions, but it’s pretty standard for a parade,” she said. “But people can come that day and be in the parade, if they would like.”
The parade will start at St. Gerard’s Catholic Church on the corner of West Robb Avenue and North Main Street.
Seven awards for the day will be given out following the parade and there will also be a 50/50 raffle that benefits the parade. The parade will start at noon and Goerge Casey will be grand marshal.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Lima Irish Parade
WHEN: Noon Saturday
WHERE: Beginning at North Main Street and West Robb Avenue
Reach Jacob Espinosa at 567-242-0399.
