Thousands Descend On Downtown Christiansted For 48th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade

ST. CROIX — Thousands of people dressed in different shades of green lined the streets of Christiansted on Saturday, in celebration of the island’s 48th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. This year, St. Paddy’s Day revelers enjoyed the usual route, with troupes starting out at Fort Christiansvaern, heading west up Company Street, turning at Times Square and heading east down King Street in Christiansted.

And as has become the norm for some, once just couldn’t cut it, so a few of the troupes doubled back.

Troupes were comprised of various local small businesses such as Lost Dog Pub; local groups such as the Gentlemen of Jones, and the Claude O. Markoe Elementary School Majorettes, as well as marching bands from both Complex, and Central High. Patrons sat, stood, and swayed to the sounds of local bands and deejays whose music permeated from speakers mounted on carnival styled trucks and trailers. Vendors on the parade route served local dishes and treats.

St. Patrick’s Day is an annual observance—on March 17th—of the death of St Patrick, the first patron saint of Ireland. Despite its beginning as an Irish cultural and religious celebration, it has evolved and expanded across the globe with parades, different shades of green and, of course, music and dancing.

The event has taken on a life of its own on St. Croix, and has become something that many look forward to annually.  More and more people come out, with patrons even coming from St. Thomas, St. John, and the mainland U.S. to participate. On St. Croix the parade is usually held on the Saturday either preceding or following March 17th—if the day itself does not fall on a Saturday.

As the sun set and the parade slowly came to an end, the streets cleared and patrons slowly made their way to the Christiansted Board Walk, where the party continued well into the night.