Manhattan Irish Fest Parade Starts Friday, Parade Saturday

MANHATTAN, IL — After brief hiatus because of the pandemic, the Manhattan Irish Fest is back this year. And one of the biggest events of the fest is the Manhattan Irish Fest Parade, scheduled to kick off at 11 a.m. Saturday.

"Everybody's really excited to be a part of it," McKay said. "They do really well on their floats. And everybody who walks, the interaction and engagement — I've not seen a parade that comes close to us, just because we are a small town and supporting small [businesses]."

The members of Manhattan Firefighters Local 4991, of which McKay is a member, took over organizing the parade in 2020. The parade was previously coordinated by Frank Forsythe, McKay said.

The parade starts following the start of the Manhattan Irish Fest 5K, which follows the same route as the parade.

"They set the pace for everything," McKay said. "Right after the Metra train goes through, that's their kind of starting gun. And right after the last runner crosses the train tracks, that's when the parade starts."

The Manhattan Irish Fest is a two-day celebration. Festivities start at 5 p.m. Friday and conclude at 10 p.m. Saturday.

In addition to the parade and 5K, planned activities include a craft fair, rugby game, Irish Mass, and lots of Irish-themed entertainment and food.

For all the latest updates on the Manhattan Irish Fest, including any changes due to weather, be sure to check the group's Facebook page.