St. Paddy’s In September: Newport Parade Organizers Want New Date

NEWPORT, RI — In another instance of the coronavirus pandemic turning usual plans upside down, this year's St. Patrick's Day parade will likely be celebrated in the fall. The parade's organizers are requesting that the City Council grant them permission to hold the annual celebration in September.

"Understandably, the Mayor of Newport has decided that the Parade will not take place on March 13th due to COVID uncertainties," the parade's organizers said in a post on Facebook. "We have requested September 25th as the new date for the Parade. Hope to see you all there!"

While September is an unusual time to celebrate a March holiday, the rescheduled parade date could be seen as following Gov. Gina Raimondo's call throughout the pandemic to get creative and find new ways to keep traditions alive.

Last week, a spokesperson for the city said the council is set to take up the parade issue at their upcoming meeting Wednesday.

Last year's St. Patrick's Day parade was a hot-button issue in Newport and across Rhode Island, as it was the first major event to be canceled in the early days of the pandemic. At the time, the City Council went back and forth about whether the parade could be safely held, before ultimately deciding to revoke the parade's permit, a decision supported by the governor.