Newport Marks 70 Years of Irish Heritage With Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade

Seventy years after Newport held its first St. Patrick's Day Parade, the tradition showed no signs of slowing down. Leprechaun hats, shamrocks and Irish flags packed the downtown route on March 14 as marching bands, bagpipers, drum corps, circus performers and colorful floats representing dozens of local and state organizations moved through the streets.

Parade Marshal Edward King said the milestone celebration carries weight beyond green decorations and fanfare. "It's a lot of culture, a lot of fundraising done by the Hibernians and Newport, for families and individuals in need," he said.

Residents and visitors lined the route early, many dressed in green and waving flags before the procession even began. For local Chelsey Aguiar, the day holds a place above every other on the calendar. "It's Newport being Newport, all the locals coming out. I love this day, its my favorite day of the year," she said.

The parade has also become a fixture for the college community. Salve Regina student Evan Tullson has made the trip to the downtown route more than once. "We've been here for multiple years in a row, its the best parade ever," he said.

The Hibernians, a long-standing Irish Catholic organization, play a central role in both the logistics and the charitable mission of the event. King's comments underscored that the parade functions as a community fundraising vehicle as much as a cultural celebration, channeling proceeds toward Newport-area families and individuals in need.

The 70th edition of the parade landed on a cool, cloudy Saturday morning, with temperatures around 44 degrees in Newport, conditions that did little to thin the crowd gathering along the downtown corridor.