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Dogtown St. Patrick’s Day Information

The Dogtown St. Patrick’s Day parade is one of the best events in St. Louis.  It is always held on St. Patrick’s Day and the parade starts around noon. 

In 2009 it looks like the Dogtown parade got smart and decided to allow patrons to bring their own beer.  The following was posted on STLtoday.com.  BYOB for 2009 

By Matthew Hathaway
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

03/13/2009

ST. LOUIS — St. Patrick's Day revelers who got their Irish up over last year's ban on bringing booze into Dogtown can toast a policy reversal. The Ancient Order of Hibernians, which organizes Tuesday's parade, once again will allow six-packs and coolers of beer at the annual march.

"As long as people clean up after themselves, it isn't going to be a problem," said Jim Mohan, publicity chairman for the St. Louis Hibernians.

On St. Patrick's Day in Dogtown, it's legal to drink alcohol outdoors along the parade route and on several closed-off side streets. Last year, paradegoers entered that area via 20 checkpoints where beer smugglers risked being searched by Hibernians and security guards hired by the fraternal group.

At the time, organizers said the ban might reduce underage drinking, cut down on littering and prevent the type of raucousness more associated with Soulard's Mardi Gras festivities.

But the policy rankled some paradegoers, who complained that it forced them to buy marked-up alcohol from neighborhood bars and outdoor vendors. More value-conscious drinkers headed to Patrick's Dogtown Liquors, which had a monopoly on packaged liquor sales inside the security perimeter.

Even with the change, store owner Patrick Wrzesinski still expects the holiday will remain his biggest moneymaker of the year. "You can't help but have a good day," he said.

Mohan said the Hibernians changed their mind because of money — specifically, the fact that the security details required too much of it. He said the group is "discouraging" people from bringing in coolers of beer, but it won't forbid the practice. Organizers are, however, prohibiting glass bottles of any kind.

In St. Louis, the Irish have two parades. The downtown one will be held Saturday. The Dogtown parade is always held on St. Patrick's Day (March 17), and it starts at 11:30 a.m.

Dogtown St. Patrick’s Day Parade goers were allowed to bring cooler filled with beer, but in 2008 the rules were changed.  Parade goers were not allowed to bring beer, they must buy the beer from bars and tents.  This is a major disappointment.  Being able to bring beer is what made the St. Patrick’s day parade in St. Louis better than Mardi Gras.  It felt like a small neighborhood run party.  Now it feels like a commerce run party.   

Downtown St. Louis St. Patrick’s Day Information

Downtown St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Downtown St. Louis has a St. Patrick’s Day parade every year.  The 2009 parade will be the 40th annual St. Patrick’s day parade in Downtown St. Louis. 

The Parade for 2009 is:

Saturday March, 14 at noon.

The parade starts at 18th and Market and ends at Broadway and Market. Find out more about the St. Patrick’s Day Parade Route in Downtown St. Louis.

Downtown St. Patrick’s Day Run

There are also other activities going on in Downtown St. Louis on the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day.  The annual St. Patrick’s Day run has been taking place in St. Louis for 31 years.  This popular event is a 5 mile run through the heart of downtown St. Louis.

The run for 2009 is:

Saturday March 14 at 9:00 a.m. 

For more information about the St. Patrick’s Day run visit this website.