Through the years, Pittsburgh\u2019s Irish pride has been on full display through the streets of Downtown the Saturday before St. Patrick\u2019s Day. <\/p>\n
The St. Patrick\u2019s Day parade started in Pittsburgh in 1869. Parade Chairman Kevin Conboy said It\u2019s known as an event that takes a lot to cancel. Take 1956 when there was a big snowstorm. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey cancelled the parade well, the men in Oakland were all gathered because they were ready for the parade, and they said to heck with it, they\u2019re marching anyway,\u201d Conboy said. <\/p>\n
That group even convinced the police chief to march with them, though he wanted to stop them!<\/p>\n
In more recent memory is the Blizzard of 93 where people marched through the streets, despite nearly 2 feet of snow that fell that day. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe reason I was definitely going to do it no matter what is my grandfather did it in 1956. So I was going to march in that parade whether or not,\u201d Conboy said.<\/p>\n
Conboy estimates someone from his family has marched in the Pittsburgh St. Patrick\u2019s Day Parade for nearly 100 years. This is his 63rd year. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s amazing how Pittsburgh people are, they all go to the same areas every year, you\u2019ll see them on the same corners and you watch these kids grow on up after year after year, the parents and then the grandparents,\u201d Conboy said.<\/p>\n
Typically, 400,000 people come to the parade, but it could be as high as 500,000 if the weather is nice. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re talking about the draft and how 500,000 people are coming in and they\u2019re so worried about it and we\u2019re like, we bring them into town every year for the St. Patrick\u2019s Day parade,\u201d Conboy said.<\/p>\n
17 marching bands are in the parade this year, they\u2019re one of 200 groups that are part of it, amounting to 20,000 marchers<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of planning involved and as we plan for nine months straight, it\u2019s a lot of work, but it\u2019s all worth it in the long run it\u2019s just a great day for the Irish,\u201d Conboy said.<\/p>\n
It costs $50,000 to put the parade on, and one of the ways they\u2019re raising it\u2026is through t-shirt sales. <\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve never gone down to the Pittsburgh St. Patrick\u2019s Day Parade\u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you waiting for? It\u2019s time to get down here. You\u2019ll see why everyone\u2019s happy and cheering and you\u2019ll be back year after year after year,\u201d Conboy said.<\/p>\n
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