TOWN OF ERIN, Wis. — Thousands of people are expected to descend on the tiny Town of Erin on Tuesday for one of Wisconsin's biggest St. Patrick's Day celebrations — a 46-year tradition that even unpredictable March weather can't stop.
The parade begins at 11 a.m. along a 1.5-mile route on Highway K, ending at the intersection of Highway K and Highway 167. Erin's Irish Inn & Pub opens at 7 a.m. Spectators should plan to park along the route before 10:15 a.m.
Derek Wilcox, who chairs the Erin St. Patrick's Day Celebration and owns Erin's Irish Inn & Pub, says the event holds a special place among St. Patrick's Day festivities across the country.
"To my knowledge, I think we're one of the only parades, festivities and activities that are actually on the day of St. Patrick's Day which I think is special," Wilcox said.
Wilcox grew up attending the parade and now runs it himself, describing it as a tradition he is determined to preserve.
"Now that I own the bar and I'm the parade chairman, it's a tradition that I don't want to see go away. So, I have a lot of pride in putting this on," Wilcox said.
He says the scale of the event is something he takes seriously.
"Obviously, it's a lot of work. We're expecting thousands of people and a ton of floats. So, it's something that goes hand in hand with owning the bar and being a part of this community," Wilcox said.
Cold and wet weather is typical for the event, but Wilcox says that's part of what makes it memorable — and he considers the parade the unofficial start of a new season.
"It's the unofficial start of spring that I think really gets people going," Wilcox said.
The Town of Erin leans fully into its Irish identity along the parade route on Highway K, with street names including Shamrock Lane, Emerald Street, Dublin Drive, O'Connel Street, and Leprechaun Lane.
Before Tuesday's parade, the King and Queen Coronation will be held Sunday afternoon at Erin's Irish Inn & Pub.
"We've had their pictures up on the wall for everyone to see and it's just really exciting!" Wilcox said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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