42nd Annual Alexandria St. Patrick's Day Parade Returns At Start Of March

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Bring your Irish spirit and green gear to the 42nd annual Alexandria St. Patrick's Day Parade, planned at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday in Old Town.

The St. Patrick's Day Parade is hosted by the Ballyshaners, an all-volunteer group that promotes Irish heritage. The parade typically draws participants like pipe bands, Irish dance schools, community groups and other performers.

Local dignitaries will lead the parade at 12 p.m. before joining the review stand at King and Royal Streets. The main parade begins at 12:30 p.m. at King Street and St. Asaph Street, heading east on King Street and turning north and Lee Street. The parade turns west at Cameron Street before ending at Cameron and Pitt Streets. See a map of the parade route.

The grand marshal of the 2025 parade is Murphy Grand Irish Pub's Tom Mooney, Jr. Mooney's parents opened Murphy's Grand Irish Pub in 1978 when he was a kid, and he grew up working at the restaurant. He helped open another Murphy's Irish Pub location in Virginia Beach and started an oyster farm serving the two Murphy's Irish Pub locations. Mooney has also served in the AmeriCorps and Fish & Wildlife Service.

The Ballyshaners will hold a sold-out event on Feb. 27 honoring Mooney as grand marshal.

"Tom Mooney has been part of the community here in Alexandria for years," the Ballyshaners said when announcing the grand marshal choice. "He has supported many organizations in the community and helped to spread Irish heritage."

Parade spectators are encouraged to use public transportation. For visitors outside of Old Town, Metro has the King Street-Old Town Station on the Blue and Yellow Lines. The free King Street Trolley runs along King Street from the Metro station.

The Ballyshaners has an ongoing need for volunteers and donations to run the parade, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars and months of planning to run.