McDonald's St. Patrick's Day Parade and Shamrock Festival Grows

Success of 2013 event encouraged expansion of festival footprint for 2014

Downtown Roanoke, Inc. (DRI) is excited to announce new details for the McDonald's St. Patrick's Day Parade and Shamrock Festival and the Corned Beef and Co. Celtic Celebration to be held on March 15, 2014 in Downtown Roanoke from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.  

The McDonald's St. Patrick's Day Parade begins at 11 a.m. and will feature WARPIPE, Jamestown Pipes and Drums, the Shenandoah Valley Pipe Band, Virginia Highlands Pipes and Drums, and many more community organizations.

The Shamrock Festival, located at Wells Fargo Plaza, will feature performances by Blue Mule, Polychrome, Rutledge, and Madrone. The festival will open at 12 p.m. and craft vendors will surround the City Market Building, including Salem Avenue, Market Street, and Wall Street.

Corned Beef and Co.'s Celtic Celebration will again be located on Jefferson Street between Campbell Avenue and Salem Avenue. The Celtic Celebration will include talented Celtic performers including Second Wynde, the Celtibillies, and, Shamrock Festivalalum, Beggar's Circus. The Celtic Celebration performances will begin at 1 p.m.

This year's event will include an expanded McDonald's Kids Area in front of the Taubman Museum of Art. There will be attractions inside the museum and along Salem Avenue. The museum will open at 10 a.m. and continues to offer free admission for patrons. The McDonald's Kids Area will run from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. and include games, inflatables, and more for families to enjoy.

The McDonald's St. Patrick's Day Parade will travel down Jefferson Street to Campbell Avenue, ending at Williamson Road. The Corned Beef & Co. Celtic Celebration will be held on Jefferson Street between Campbell and Salem Avenues. 

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Downtown Roanoke, Inc. is a tax-exempt member organization first chartered in 1960 to provide services and support to downtown property owners, businesses and residents.  DRI provides services throughout the Downtown Service District under a contract with the City of Roanoke and also manages the Historic Roanoke City Market, which is the oldest continuously-operating open air market in Virginia.  DRI also presents a number of showcase events in downtown Roanoke including the Harvest Festival, and the SunTrust Dickens of a Christmas - a major holiday season street festival taking place each year on the first three Fridays of December.

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