Savannah's Marching Irish On River Street
Savannah Claims To Hold The Second Largest St. Patrick's Day Parade In The Nation, So Park Your Rig At A Nearby RV Park And Let The Festivities Begin
It's no secret that St. Patrick's Day in Savannah, Ga., attracts the largest crowds ever to this city for just one day out of the year, although there are many on-going St. Patrick's activities both before and after the day of St. Patrick's Day Parade. The entire City of Savannah becomes absolutely crazy on March 17th when locals, as well as people from around the world, come out to have some serious fun! New York City has the largest St. Patrick's Day parade, everyone admits. But do they have as much fun in the Big Apple as in the Hostess City? Some people would argue.
Now, the City of Savannah has almost as many citywide festivities during the year as there are days in the calendar year. Bit short of that, but there is always a party going on somewhere in this Hostess City. Not only is March 17th the most popular citywide festival of the year, the areas through which the parade meanders also allow 'open carry' of alcoholic beverages which mostly, for the rest of the year, is pretty well confined to Savannah's Historic River Street, down there at the Savannah River.
St. Patrick's Day is the time when visitors and natives really 'let down their hair,' determined to enjoy this annual festive event over several day's time. And if you plan for an overnight stay at any of Savannah's hotels, motels or bed & breakfasts, now is the time to make your reservations, especially if you plan to overnight at any of the area's recreational vehicle parks and campgrounds. So many RV'ers return for the week of St. Patrick's Day week, that most reservations are made around a year in advance, year-to-year.
At Savannah South KOA Kampground, located actually in the bedroom community of Richmond Hill on Coastal Highway U.S. 17, RV'ers usually make their reservations for parking sites and the park's KOA cabins far in advance. Parking anywhere in Savannah during this week of festivities is hard to come by and many city visitors opt for stays at RV parks outside the city, in nearby Richmond Hill; Garden City; Pooler; or even as far away as South Carolina which is just over the Savannah River. At nearly all of the RV parks, trollies will shuttle you to and from Savannah's Historic Downtown which is where the parade wends its way through the city. The day becomes one huge, sprawling street party.
And what brings so many visitors to return here, year after year? It's all those parties. Savannah becomes a hard partying town during this particular week, even with the other 297 citywide festivals held here during the year. On St. Patrick's Day, there is a sort of echo, that harkens back to Savannah's early days in history, when she was part of Georgia's Thirteenth English Colony. Many of the buildings in Savannah's Historic District still exist from that time, since, during the Civil War, Union Maj. General W.T. Sherman presented this southern city intact to President Lincoln as a “Christmas Present,” after capturing it on December, 21, 1864. He had already burned Atlanta and countless other southern cities in between before reaching Savannah.
The turnout for this March day in Savannah could also be linked to the weather, which, in March emerges from the winter doldrums in this low coastal area. The temperatures remain just short of nippy and most folks here have been kept indoors, not from the frigid temperatures experienced farther north, but during the days of drizzling rain and mists.
The popularity surrounding the St. Patrick's Day craic (Irish slang for a good time), which begins in February and lingers on through March, is such that many visitors enjoy several weeks stay. Numerous Irish fraternities and nonprofit organizations work hard to make sure events leading up to, and away from, St. Patrick's Day hark back to the Old Country. Events scheduled are imbued with the tales of Ireland, its heritage, cuisines, drink, dance and music. There are many Irish decedents here, living in this city. The names of pubs, restaurants and haunts are symbolic of Olde Erin. The annual Tara Feis Irish Celebration is normally held the Saturday before St. Patrick's Day at Emmet Park at the east end of Bay Street. However, unfortunately for this year, one of the longest-tenured festivals in Savannah will not happen due to the budget. Hopefully the family and children celebration with Irish music, dance, song, food, and art will occur once again for those people who want to celebrate but not interested in being around alcohol. It was consistently an alcohol-free event is hosted by the City of Savannah's Department of Cultural Affairs and is free of charge, all served with Irish traditions of hospitality, ceremony and inspiration.
Early on, just after that first shipload of English arrived in 1733, Savannah became the New World's first “Planned City,” staked out around “squares,” parks where food and flowers were grown, cattle were kept and villagers enjoyed the outdoors. The city still retains 22 of its original 'squares,' the largest of which is Forsyth Park, an elongated patch of greenery which features a large, splashing European style fountain. Each year, in honor of St. Patrick, this fountain is turned green. The “Greening” of the Fountain” takes place a little before each parade day and, of course, the beer served, seemingly everywhere, is green as well.
There is one place, however, where you won't find shamrocks, green beer or any other ephemera connected to the day and that is at Kevin Barry's Irish Pub on River Street. Here, you will hear true Irish troubadours and find real Irish Shepard's pie and beef stew. While there are many other Irish pubs and restaurants in Savannah, only Kevin Barry's has been declared the World's Most Irish Pub outside of Ireland by the Irish Pubs Global Federation.
While the biggest St. Patrick's Day Parade is held each year in New York City, Savannah, Georgia claims to hold the Second Biggest St. Patrick's Day Parade. One thing you need to know for sure about enjoying Savannah's St. Patrick's Day allure, and especially the parade, now in its 192nd year, is that you must make your reservations. As in right now.
Dollie Gull-Goldman
A veteran multimedia journalist who, now a senior, enthusiastically continues her RV travels, and she has worked as a photographer/filmmaker for early TV news, she spent some 20-years as a newspaper writer-editor/journalist. Dollie looks forward to even more RV on-the-road adventures.
Make Sure To Stay At:
Savannah South KOA, where one can set up camp then set out to explore Savannahs charming historic district. Ride in a horse-drawn carriage or pick up a walking tour brochure so you can marvel at the more than 1,400 restored buildings. Their 35 acre lake provides Ibis, blue herons and egrets.