SYDNEY ST PATRICK'S DAY

Sydney turned green on Sunday the 18th of March for the 2012 Sydney St Patrick's Day Parade & Family Day

A huge thank you to all the fantastic entrants who made the 2012 Sydney St Patrick's Day Parade a huge success. 

Contratulations to the following winners:-

Best Float - Antrim Association

Runner Up  Float - Penrith Gaels

Best GAA Float - Michael Cusacks GAC

Best marching group - Dwyer-Whelan Dance Academy of Irish Dance

In Australia, St Patrick’s Day celebrations have taken place on 17 March since 1810, when the then Governor, Lachlan Macquarie, declared the date an official day of celebration for the Irish and those of Irish heritage.  200 years later, we are still celebrating with an annual street parade and family day on the third Sunday of March – this year on Sunday 18th March 2012. The Sydney St Patrick’s Day Parade is the third largest in the world, after the New York celebrations.

The Parade commenced with pre-parade entertainment in front of Town Hall on George St from 10.30am to midday, to keep early crowds entertained.  

The parade commenced at midday and consisting of floats, marching bands and walking groups, starting at the corner of Town Hall on George Street and Bathurst Street continuing to Park St and around Elizabeth St, ending at Hyde Park near St James Station.

The festivities continued at the Family Day at Hyde Park, from 1.00pm until 6.30pm.  There were two stages with Irish music and dancing, Irish food stalls to sample the best of the nation’s cuisine, children’s areas and of course, a the bar stocked Guinness to toast St Patrick himself! 

There was a designated children’s area where families with young children relaxed.  Children enjoyed face painting, bouncy castles, clowns, animal rides and music performances.

2012 saw Australian residents of all nationalities become Australian citizens in the annual citizenship ceremony held at Hyde Park. Many Irish people choose to take part in the citizenship ceremony at the Sydney St Patrick’s Day Parade & Family Day as a way of recognising that although they are becoming Australian citizens, their Irish background will always be close to their hearts. The Citizenship Ceremony commenced at 2pm, then at 3pm the Citizenship ceremony ended the area is turned into a second stage with more traditional and modern music and singing.

For more information, quotes from President Catherine Crosse or photographs from this or past events, please contact:

Una O'Neill
Marketing Manager

Sydney St Patrick’s Day Parade and Family Day
Email: media@stpatricksday.org.au
Tel: 0433 923 464 

About Sydney St Patrick’s Day Parade and Family Day Org

The Sydney St Patrick’s Day Parade is organised by a group of volunteers from the Irish-Australian community. As a non-profit organisation, financial support is key to the continuing success of the Sydney St Patrick’s Day celebrations through fundraising throughout the year.