45th Annual Kansas City St. Patrick’s Day Parade – Midtown/Westport
If you want the official March of the Irish and the single largest one-day celebration in KC, this is your day. Held every St. Patrick’s Day (March 17), this two-hour event with an estimated crowd of 200,000 starts at 11 a.m. and winds its way through Midtown and Westport.
- Bring your own food, drink, beads and hats – otherwise, you’ll find yourself battling the crowds and shelling out more money than you anticipated.
- Arrive early to get a good spot. All the main intersections (39th & Main, 43rd & Main, etc.) are very crowded so allow time to walk around and secure a place to set your blanket and chairs down (which you brought with you, of course).
Shawnee St. Patrick’s Day Parade
The Shawnee Irish community will be rocking for another year as they celebrate “The Shawnee Irish Rock.” The parade begins at 1 p.m. and proceeds down Johnson Drive from Monrovia east to Nieman Road.
- Parking is challenging, so arriving early or parking your vehicle overnight and taking the bus/carpool will help you start your day off right.
- Consider arriving early for breakfast and doing some shopping to beat the crowds. Our favorites for kid-friendly fare are Waldo Pizza, Foo’s Fabulous Frozen Custard and Bella Napoli. For all restaurant and shopping options, view the Brookside area map.
Emerald Isle Parade – Lee’s Summit
The annual Emerald Isle Parade features floats, walking groups, Irish dancers, musicians and more. Other activities include an Irish breakfast, a pub crawl and a gold coin hunt for the kids. The parade begins at 12 p.m. in downtown Lee’s Summit on 8th Street, heads north on Green Street, west on 3rd Street, then north on SE Main Street.
Snake Saturday Parade and Festival – North Kansas City
For a parade that started in 1983 with four floats in a motel parking lot, this North Kansas City celebration has come a long way. A day-long festival includes a children’s area, carnival, a theater stage and car show. Non-profits and charities compete for cash prizes with the event having given away more than $1 million to date. Check out a full schedule here.
Why the snakes, you ask? Well, legend has it that St. Patrick banished snakes (to some, representing the devil or paganism) from Ireland … thus, we drink green beer, throw green beads and have parades to celebrate his life. Of course! 🙂
