Binghamton’s 2018 St. Patrick’s Day Parade Goes off Without a Hitch

Parade Day 2018 has come and gone without a hitch. I'm glad the parade wasn't on Friday because that's when we got all the snow and I'm glad the parade wasn't on Sunday because that day was very windy and cold. I don't know about you, but I think that sunshine and temperatures in the 30's for Parade Day isn't such a bad deal.

If you went to the parade this year, you might have noticed that attendance was down in a big way and there are a couple of factors. The first is that Binghamton University was on a Spring Recess so there weren't as many college students as in past years, and the other reason is that there was a big misconception that there wouldn't be enough parking in downtown Binghamton. Some people told me they didn't go to the parade because they were busy digging themselves out, and there were a few who said they stayed away because they wanted to avoid what they called the "drunkfest."

About the parking- there was actually a lot of available parking throughout the entire city and there were plenty of places to stand along the parade route that wasn't in the middle of crowds.  As for drunkenness, I actually thought the crowd was more subdued than in years past. Maybe Parade Day will morph back into what it once was, and that's a family-friendly parade.

Whether you made it to the parade or not, I think we can all agree that the Mummers are pretty amazing. You know who else thinks the Mummers are awesome? Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles who wore an authentic Mummers outfit for the victory parade and speech in Philadelphia. The Mummers are definitely getting exposure this year!

Have you ever wondered why the St. Patrick's Day Parade travels from NYSEG Stadium to the Belmar and not the other way around? I was told by Miss Oktoberfest that it has to do with the 11:30am Mass at St. Mary's of Assumption Church on Main Street and since the church is located closer to NYSEG Stadium, that's where the parade begins.

We'd like to thank everyone who attended Parade Day, and especially Parlor City's Miss Oktoberfest who braved the cold to walk with us. If you were at the parade, check out the video and photos below to see if you spot yourself!