31st Annual

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

March 12, 2011

Parade begins at 11:00 a.m. sharp!

RAIN OR SHINE!

6th and Laurel, Balboa Park

The Parade is held annually in conjunction with the Festival.

Greetings!

Welcome to the Irish Congress of Southern California’s web page for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. 

 Over the past 30 years, we have honored educators, athletes, service animals, volunteers, law enforcement and fire professionals, artists, travel and entertainment professionals, and food service employees, to recall a few. We have, indeed, celebrated the unity of our community.

The parade with 150+ entries includes Floats, Police and Fire Department units, Emerald Society units, equestrian entries, marching bands, bagpipe contingents, dancing groups, drill teams, representatives from Ireland, roller skaters, the reigning Miss Colleen and Smiling Irishman, along with antique cars, clowns, and Corvettes.

The Parade steps off at 11 a.m. from the corner of Sixth Avenue and Juniper Streets, travels north on Fifth Avenue to Upas, then west to Sixth Avenue and South to conclude at Laurel Street. The parade judging platform will be located on Fifth Avenue between Spruce and Thorn Streets.

We hope that everyone who has participated in the past as sponsors,  vendors, volunteers, workers, dignitaries, and honorees will be involved again in 2011. Think of it as a homecoming!

We’d also like to invite you all to the Flag Presentation which kicks off our parade day activities.

Slainte

2010 Honorees and Dignitaries

Honorees

 Grand Marshal — Lt. John Finn, USN (Ret),
Pearl Harbor, Medal of Honor recipient* (see note below)

Honored Veteran — Colonel Jay R. Vargas, USMC (Ret),
Vietnam, Medal of Honor recipient* (see note below)

Distinguished Veteran — Frank Sexton, US Army Air Corps (Ret), Germany, WWII POW

Irish Man of the Year — Brig. General Michael Neil, USMC (Ret), Vietnam, Navy Cross Recipient  

Irish Woman of the Year — Delphine Malone

San Diego Man of the Year — Delmar Miller

San Diego Woman of the Year — Margie Johnson

 Service Organization of the Year — Challenged Athletes Foundation Operation Rebound – Nico Marcolongo

San Diego Organization of the Year — OMBAC – Michael Scheuch

2010 Smiling Irishman — Trevor Wessman-Lavelle

2010 Miss Colleen — Aine Prendergast

Note: There are only 88 living Medal of Honor recipients (out of the 851 who have been so honored since 1941) and we have two of them in our Parade!

Dignitaries

Executive Grand Marshal — Mayor Jerry Sanders

Irish Government Representative — Joe Dowling 

Honorable Irish Guests — John and Angela Byrne

2010 Parade Chair — Mickey Michaud

2010 Irish Congress President — John Hyatt

Click here to see photos of the 2009 Parade

Click here to see the Parade Route

Watch the Parade Video on YouTube

Parade Entries Judging and Trophy Information

The following categories were judged and were awarded trophies for the 2010 Parade. Complete the application at the bottom of this page to enter the 2011 Parade.

ICSC Award High School Bands Middle School Bands High School Auxiliary Middle School Auxiliary Musical Entry (non-school) Commercial Floats Service Floats Marching Units Marching Groups

Auto Group Auto Individual Motorized Entry Youth Entry Individual Clowns Clown Group Humorous (non-clown) Individual Equestrian Group Equestrian Group Step Dancer’s

All categories will be judged during the parade with the judges located at 5th Avenue between Spruce and Thorn Streets.

A list of winning entries will be posted here within one week of the Parade. Winners may claim their trophies at:

McGregor’s Grill & Ale House
10475 San Diego Mission Rd.
San Diego, CA
(Between Mission de Alcala and Qualcomm Stadium)
619-282-9797

Sunday thru Thursday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
(ask for Ian Linekin)

Click here to view the 2009 award winners

Applicants

Due to the increase in costs to the Irish Congress by the City of San Diego and other government agencies, the ICSC Board has adopted the following fees for entries (which MUST accompany the entry form):

• $50 for General entries

• $100 for Commercial entries

Please contact Margie Johnson (Shamrocker50@hotmail.com) for entry forms, which will be mailed out the first week of January, 2010.  Deadline to receive entry forms is February 26, 2010—NO EXCEPTIONS!

In order for entries to be confirmed and parade participation granted, all fees must be paid at the time of entry form submission.

Donations are always welcome to assist parade funding. Please send donations to:

Irish Congress of Southern California
415 Laurel Street
PMB #113 San Diego, CA 92101
Attn: Margie Johnson

Parade Route