St. Patrick's Day Weekend Events in Grand Ledge
A weekend of Irish celebration in downtown Grand Ledge: Friday at the Opera House, a Saturday stew cook-off, a free movie, and the afternoon parade.
The Grand Ledge St. Patrick's Day celebration is a full weekend, not just a parade. A typical year opens on Friday evening at the Grand Ledge Opera House, where the community gathers for traditional Irish dancing, the Glen Erin Bagpipe Band, and live music from The Pub Runners. Donations are accepted at the door, Irish beverages are available, and roaming bagpipers wander downtown while local merchants stay open late with the shops dressed in Irish decorations.
Saturday is the main event. The day often begins with an Irish Stew Cook-Off, where visitors come in to taste and vote for their favorite stew, and continues with a free family movie at the Sun Theatre. At 2:00 in the afternoon the parade steps off and winds through downtown Grand Ledge, featuring pipe-and-drum bands, community floats, the queen's court, and the parade marshals.
Dates shift with the calendar each March, so check the association's current announcements before you make plans. However the weekend falls, the format holds: Friday night at the Opera House, Saturday's cook-off and movie, and the afternoon parade down Bridge Street.