St. Patrick's Day Parade in Milwaukee

Milwaukee, Wisconsin will celebrate St. Patrick's Day wit ha parade on March 10, 2007. The parade, on March 10, will be one week prior to the actual March 17 holiday honoring St. Patrick.

The 2007 the 41st Annual Shamrock Club of Wisconsin's St. Patrick's Day parade will start at noon on March 10. the parade will step off at 3rd and Wisconsin, in front of the Grand Avenue mall. The parade will proceed east to Plankington, north on Plankington to Kilbourn, west on Kilbourne to Old World Third Street, north on Old World Third Street to Juneau, east on Juneau to Water Street, south on Water Street. The parade will have nearly 150 units, making it one on the largest parades in Wisconsin.

The St. Patrick's Day parade, which has been held annually since 1843, will feature floats, clowns, local politicians and celebrities, bagpipe and marching bands, Irish and Celtic organizations. The Irish Honorees and Guest of Honor include the Shamrock Club Irishman of the Year, Irish Rose, and Parade Marshall.The city has been celebrating with the St. Patrick's Day Parade since 1843. The Shamrock Club has been sponsoring it for 41 years.

St Patrick's Day is a stress free holiday that is full of fun and frivolity. Learning about the history of traditions can make them more enjoyable. The Shamrock Club has a brief history of the Life of St. Patrick on their website. Following are some excerpts from The Life of St. Patrick:

The Life of St. Patrick

Year 387: Patrick is born over 1600 years ago in either Scotland or Roman Britain.
Year 403: Patrick is captured by Irish raiders and put into slavery. He works as a shepherd for an Irish chieftain for 6 years. During this time he turns to God for comfort.

Year 409: Patrick escapes from Ireland after God speaks to him in a dream and tells him to leave by going to the coast and finding passage on a ship. He returns to Britain, becomes a priest and goes to study in a French monastery.