St. Patrick’s Day Parade to return, honor late priest

After two years of cancellations, the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade is returning to downtown Sioux Falls.

It will be back March 19 and honor the late Msgr. James Doyle, a longtime supporter of the event and a former grand marshal of the parade.

Registration, which is required for parade participants, is available now at siouxfallsevents.com/stpats.

“We have every intention of having a parade this year! After two years off, we can’t wait to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with all the Irish and Irish-at-heart again,” said Shawn Cleary, chair of the St. Patrick’s Day Extravaganza Committee, an independent group that is strongly supported by the staff of the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce.

The parade was informally organized in 1980 by the late Sylvia Henkin. She stepped down in 2013 after serving as parade grand marshal for the second time. Her successor is Cleary, an Irishman and president of Tiger Corp., which makes industrial mowing equipment.

The parade is called the people’s parade because anyone can participate as long as they are registered or part of a registered group and wearing an official St. Patrick’s Day Parade button costing $3.

The Extravaganza Committee also will be selecting a grand marshal to lead the parade. The first was lawyer Claude Hamilton.

The traditional painting of the shamrock will take place at 11 a.m. March 19 in front of Mrs. Murphy’s Irish Gifts, 219 S. Phillips Ave. The event will be public and Phillips Avenue will be closed at 10:45 a.m. between 10th and 11th streets.

An enduring part of the parade has been the Khartum Temple Pipe & Drums from Winnipeg, Canada. According to a statement from the chamber, the members “hope to return this year and their expenses have been covered by donations from Sanford Health, Avera Health, Xcel Energy and Holiday Inn City Centre.”

South Dakota’s priest, Monsignor James Doyle, dies at age 89