St. Patrick's Day Parade in Queens - Woodside and Sunnyside

Queens boasts two great St. Patrick's Day Parades. The St. Pat's for All in Sunnyside and Woodside is smaller, but has gotten a lot more press. The other parade in the Rockaways has a longer history and a lot more bagpipes. Learn more about the parade in the Rockaways.

• St. Patrick's Parade in Sunnyside - March 2, 2008
• Queens County St. Patrick's Parade in the Rockaways - March 1, 2008

The 2008 St. Patrick's Parade & Irish Fair in Sunnyside: The Queens neighborhoods of Woodside and Sunnyside are home to lots of recent and older Irish immigrants, and are the stomping grounds of a parade every St. Patrick's Day, known as St. Pat's for All. In the words of organizer Brendan Fay, it's "small, spirited, and inclusive."

• St. Pat's For All
• Sunday, March 2, 2008, 2 p.m.

• Parade Route: TBD - Starts at 43rd St and Skillman Ave in Sunnyside >> East on Skillman >> North on 56th St >> East on Woodside Ave >> Ends at 61st St and Woodside Ave.

Getting to St. Pat's for All - #7 Subway Directions: Weekend service on the #7 subway should be running as normal. There had been problems in January this year, but they should be okay by the parade weekend.

• Check - MTA #7 Service Advisory

Take the 7 subway to 40th Street (or 46th St/Bliss) and walk toward 43rd St and north toward Skillman (2 blocks north of the 7 at Queens Blvd).

2008 St. Pat's for All Parade:

• Parade Theme: "Cherishing All the Children of the Nation Equally."

• Expected to March: TBD. Usually: Mayor Bloomberg, Congressman Joe Crowley, NYC City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, and more local politicians.

• Honoree: NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn

• Marching/Performing: Puppet art group, local community groups, and the Keltic Dreams dancers.

• Post Parade Celebration: Woodside, after parade

St. Pat's for All - Neighborhood Parade: The Queens St. Patrick's Day Parade is a high-spirited, but real local affair. Started in response to the rejection of Irish gay and lesbian marchers by the much bigger Manhattan parade, it has grown in prominence over the years.

It's held weeks earlier than the Manhattan parade, which makes it a great warm-up for the bigger parade. But many prefer the Sunnyside version because it is less crowded, less touristy, and a neighborhood event (and because of the great local pubs).

Irish Pubs in Sunnyside, Woodside, and Maspeth: A big plus for the Queens St. Patrick's Day Parade is the concentration of fine Irish pubs in the area, often thronged by recent immigrants from Ireland.

• Donovan's Pub, 5724 Roosevelt Ave, Woodside, 718- 429-9339
• Sean Og Tavern, 60-02 Woodside Ave, Woodside, 718-899-3499
• Saints and Sinners, 59-21 Roosevelt Ave, 718-396-3268
• Grand Stand Pub, 85-35 Grand Ave, Elmhurst
• O'Neill's, 64-21 53rd Dr, Maspeth
• Matchmaker, 58-14 61st St, Maspeth
• Woodhaven House, 63-98 Woodhaven Blvd, Rego Park

Contact the Queens St. Patrick's Parade Organizers:

St. Patrick's for All - Sunnyside Parade

St. Patrick's Parade & Irish Fair
c/o 22-22 28th St
Astoria NY 11105
718-721-2780 www.stpatsforall.com
e-mail: info@stpatsforall.com