MEDIA RELEASE :
For Immediate Release:
March 3, 2010

Contact Person:
Cindy Christensen
605.373.2016

The 31st Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade will be held in downtown Sioux Falls Saturday, March 13, 2010. The traditional Painting of the Shamrock takes place at 9th Street and Phillips Avenue at noon to officially kick off the parade. The parade begins at 2 p.m.

The parade forms at 5th Street and Main Avenue beginning at 12:30 p.m. Vehicles will be lined up on a first-come, first-served basis and will proceed through the downtown area. A link to the St. Patrick's Day map can be found here.

Thanks to generous sponsorships from Avera Health, Holiday Inn City Centre, Sanford Health and Xcel Energy, the Khartum Temple Pipes and Drums (from Winnipeg, Manitoba) will again perform in the parade and make guest appearances at numerous places throughout the city prior to the parade. For a schedule of these performances, please contact the Chamber of Commerce office at 605.336.1620.

There is no entry fee to participate in the parade. The only requirement is that each participant fill out a registration form and that each adult, age 16 and over, in the parade purchase and wear an official 2010 St. Patrick's Day Parade button. The cost is $2 per button, the proceeds of which are donated to the Special Olympics and other worthwhile charities in the Sioux Falls area. Since 1986, $115,000 has been raised for Special Olympics through the St. Patrick's Day buttons. Buttons and registration forms are available at the Chamber of Commerce office at 200 N. Phillips Ave., Suite 102.

In addition, the Falls of the Big Sioux River will be turned green (with lights) at Falls Park in honor of St. Patrick's Day on Friday evening. Dick Murphy, co-owner of Mrs. Murphy's Irish Gifts, will lead the parade as the Grand Marshal. He can be reached at 605.333.9700.

This is the second year that the St. Patrick's Day Extravaganza planning committee moved the parade to the Saturday prior to St. Patrick's Day, which is when it will continue to be held. The purpose of moving the parade was to allow it to be more of a family event and allow visitors to attend the festivities. For 31 years, the parade has been organized by a volunteer planning group with assistance from Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce staff.

   
As the leading Sioux Falls area business advocate, the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce represents its members by working to advance and promote the economic health and quality of life of the region. For more information about the Chamber and its programs, call 605.336.1620, email sfacc@siouxfalls.com or look online at www.siouxfalls.com.

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