Meet the new organization tasked with running Dallas’ annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Mauricio Navarro of Navarro-Gambit Experience, the organizer, said putting on the parade is part of his DNA.

DALLAS — The 2026 Dallas St. Patrick’s Day Parade has a new organizer – kind of. 

Navarro-Gambit Experience is putting on the festivities in the Big D this year.

Mauricio Navarro of Navarro-Gambit Experience said he has had a hand in producing the annual event since 2013, when it was owned by the Greenville Avenue Area Business Association.

The association turned over ownership of the parade to Navarro in 2025, he said.

“I was honored to be the sole owner of this beast,” Navarro said.

He reached out to friends he’d organized events with prior. One of them was Sergio Godinez, owner of the event planning company Gambit Group. Godinez and Navarro formed a partnership to put on the 2026 Dallas St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

“This will be our first year as a unit,” Navarro said.

Though he’s been involved for more than a decade in the parade planning, Navarro said attendees could have a different experience this year.

“The look and feel of the parade and our visuals [are] a lot different than what it used to be,” he said.

Navarro added that this event has been a passion project of his for years, even though it hasn’t always been profitable for him.

“It’s part of my DNA,” he said.

The parade could look even more different in years to come, he said.

“There’s been speculation of a potential move,” he said. “We’ll see what that means for 2027.”

The parade on March 14 will help determine if a move is necessary in the future, he said.