Downtown Cheboygan will trade its melting snow for shamrocks as the community gathers for its annual St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, including a parade and pub crawl, on Saturday, March 14.
Hosted by Cheboygan Main Street, the community’s economic development authority, the festivities take place along Huron Street in the heart of downtown. The Wee St. Patrick’s Day Parade will begin forming at 4:30 p.m. between Court and Nelson streets, with the parade kicking off promptly at 5 p.m. Participants will head north on Huron Street from Nelson Street to Festival Square.
The parade will feature floats, music, giveaways and a visit from Lenny the Leprechaun. This year, organizers are welcoming bagpiper Donald Ross to lead the parade, said Cheboygan Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Polly Schneider.
“We may still have snowbanks, but St. Patrick’s Day in Downtown Cheboygan is our annual reminder that brighter days are ahead,” Schneider said. “Wearing green, hearing the bagpipes and celebrating together downtown helps us turn the page from winter to spring. There’s no better place to do that than downtown.”
There is still time for individuals, families and businesses to participate in the parade. Registration forms are available at cheboyganmainstreet.org, and Schneider said they welcome a wide range of entries, from walking groups and decorated wagons to costumed pets and strollers. Cheboygan Main Street calls the parade a “cheerful, family-friendly tradition filled with creativity, community spirit and plenty of Irish charm.”
Immediately following the parade, the celebration will continue with the fourth annual pub crawl. There is no set order of stops, allowing participants to explore downtown at their own pace while enjoying live entertainment, themed drink specials and Irish-inspired food at participating restaurants. Ross will help kick off the festivities by visiting each establishment.
Schneider said the event continues to grow each year as more families gather along Huron Street and more businesses take part.
“What makes this celebration special isn’t just the parade or the pub crawl — it’s the fact that we’re building something together,” she said. “In a small town like Cheboygan, those shared moments matter. They’re how we mark the seasons, create memories and strengthen the heart of our downtown.”
Additional information is available by visiting Cheboygan Main Street’s Facebook page at facebook.com/downtowncheboygan.
This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Shamrocks and leprechauns: Cheboygan plans St. Patrick’s Day events
Reporting by M. Alan Scott, Cheboygan Daily Tribune / Cheboygan Daily Tribune
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