2013 Sydney St Patrick’s Day Parade and Family Day
It’s that time of year again and the Sydney St Patrick’s Parade and Family Day Committee would like to invite you to participate in the 2013 Sydney St Patrick’s Day Parade. The 2013 Sydney St Patrick’s Day Parade and Family Day celebrations will be held on Sunday 17 March 2013.
We wish to build on past parades to make 2013 an even bigger and better success. Can you imagine the Parade leading with Ireland of the Past followed by all things Irish Australian and finishing with Ireland of the present– that is our vision. The theme for 2013 will be Sydney Celebrating Its Irishness.
The Sydney St Patrick’s Day Parade provides the NSW community with a vibrant, colourful event which showcases the cultural richness of all things Irish and Irish Australian. By supporting the Parade, we believe that your presence would not only demonstrate the high level of community engagement and support for the Parade but also, by participating in our proposed narrative, bring a new dimension to the Parade.
Sydney Celebrating Its Irishness
There are seven categories for entrants of the Parade to choose from.
1: Ireland of the past: Traditions, folklore, literature, historical events, historical places
2: 1788: The beginning of the Irish in Sydney. First fleet, first Irish in Australia (scope for street theatre)
3: Convicts and Rebels: Castle Hill Rebellion, Ned Kelly/bushrangers (scope for street theatre)
4: Free Settlers: Nation Builders: Orphan Girls, Priests and Nuns, Brothers (Possibly getting schools involved)
5: Cultural Connections: Bush music, Aboriginal links, Irish dance, Sport, Universities, Schools, literature, Australian of the year winners
6: Modern Irish in Sydney: Health Care, Young professionals, politicians, celebrities, education. music, construction, community groups
7: Ireland of the present: topical events, current themes from Ireland
Our aim is to have perennial narrative running through the Parade. We want to open it up to street theatre, encourage schools to enter and give scope to groups and counties to invest in a float they can enter year on year and build the quality of the Parade. Some groups invest thousands each year to see their entry dismantled to start all over again. We believe, with a narrative, groups can pick a section of the Parade themselves each year or pick one and improve it year on year. We also want it to be easy for schools to enter and do a lesson plan around the topic as well as encourage participation by Australians of Irish and non-Irish Heritage. You don’t have to be Irish to participate in Sydney Celebrating its Irishness!
Many counties and groups put a lot of work and investment into their floats and we encourage them to re-enter past entries and make use of their hard work.
Applications to enter the 2013 Parade close on Friday 1 March. If you have any questions or require further information please do not hesitate to contact us.
Our Organisation:
The Sydney St Patrick's Day Org Inc. is a not for profit organisation managed by a group of volunteers. The Sydney St Patrick’s Day Parade and Family Day are made possible thanks to the efforts of the volunteer committee and the team of individuals who give up their time throughout the year. The Committee not only organises the event itself on the third weekend in March each year, but organises fund-raising events, publicity and marketing in the lead up to the St Patrick’s Day Parade and Family Day. The Committee consists of the President as chairperson, the Vice President as co-chair, the Treasurer, and the Secretary.
Our Event
It is an absolutely amazing fun filled day and to see Sydney celebrating its Irishness is like nothing else. From humble beginnings by a group of dedicated individuals over 30 years ago - this event has become a huge day for the Irish Community in NSW with many people only connecting to their heritage on this one day.
- The Sydney St Patrick’s Day Parade and Family Day is the largest Irish Event in the Southern Hemisphere with over 30,000 Irish and Australian Irish Families attending.
- The Sydney St Patrick's Day Event is one of the top five in the world (New York, Dublin, Boston, London and Sydney). It is the only St Patrick’s Day event in the world this size that is totally organised and funded by the Irish Community.
- The Committee is all voluntary and spends a year organising and fundraising to fund the Parade and Family Day.
- This year there will be pre-parade entertainment, music and dancing on George Street, opposite Town Hall commencing from 10.20am and finish at 11.50am. We encourage participants and viewers alike to come into the city and enjoy the fun and atmosphere.
- The parade will commence at midday and will begin at the corner of Bathurst Street and George Street, proceeding along George Street, turning right into Park Street then left into Elizabeth St, finishing up at James Street.
- The dedicated float decant area will be located on Philip Street to allow participants deconstruct floats.
- The Family Day in Hyde Park North will commence at 1.00pm with the Australian and Irish National Anthems sung on the Main Stage.
- The Main Stage will host several local Irish bands, musicians and the winners of the 2012 Gaels Got Talent competition playing until 6.30pm.
- Other activities in the Park include a Children's area, Citizenship Ceremony, stalls, various groups and all the Irish County representatives.
- The Family Day will finish at 6.30pm.
To continue the tradition and build on the success of previous years, we need your support and participation to help the Parade to continue and grow in the future. We kindly request entries to donate to the St. Patrick’s Day Committee as generously as you can. No donation is too little.
We look forward to receiving your entries and encourage you to submit them as soon as possible to allow the Committee plan this amazing day; also please do not hesitate to contact Vice President (Kevin Duffy) with any queries you may have regarding the Parade.
Slan go Foil,
Kevin Duffy
Mobile No: 0439 042 629
Email: parade@stpatricksday.org.au