The 54th St. Patrick’s Day Parade will begin at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, in front of Fort Christiansvaern in Christiansted, St. Croix. The parade will proceed along Company Street to Market Street, then continue onto King Street before concluding back at the fort.
Christiansted’s streets will be filled with spectators enjoying the lively atmosphere as multiple floats and groups make their way through the parade route. Onlookers will have the chance to catch beads, candy, and other favors thrown from decorated floats. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade on St. Croix is considered one of the island’s most anticipated annual events, drawing visitors from the mainland and beyond. Known for its punctuality, this parade is widely regarded as the only one on St. Croix that reliably starts on time.
A highlight of this year’s event will be the appearance of “Mr. Lucky” and his leprechauns, who will be collecting donations for the St. Croix Animal Welfare Center. In 2024, their efforts resulted in a whopping $4,000 contribution to the organization.
Participants in the parade will dress according to the year’s theme, incorporating plenty of green into their outfits. Many in the crowd will also embrace the festive spirit, competing to showcase the most creative and humorous attire, often with face painting as part of their ensemble.
The parade will be structured into two sections, with children leading the procession to allow them to perform and exit before the heat of the day intensifies. A collection of race cars, antique vehicles, and other specialty automobiles will serve as a buffer between the children’s and adult sections of the parade. To maintain sound clarity, live musicians and performances with minimal amplification will be spaced out along the route, while larger speakers and amplified music will be positioned toward the rear.
Parking restrictions will be in effect on Company Street, Market Street, King Street, Church Street, and Queen Cross Street from 3 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. Vehicles parked in violation will be towed at the owner’s expense.
The tradition of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade began in 1969 when a group of local businessmen decided the island needed an official celebration. On March 17 of that year, they loaded a stake-bed truck with a piano and drove through the streets of Christiansted, singing Irish and local songs. Billy Gibbons, the 2019 Grand Marshall, is the last surviving member of that original group.
St. Patrick’s Day commemorates the death of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, and has been observed in Ireland for over 1,000 years. The first known St. Patrick’s Day parade, however, took place in St. Augustine, Florida, on March 17, 1601. This year will mark the 425th parade in that city, part of a tradition now celebrated worldwide.
