Abington St. Patrick’s Day Parade 2024
The Abington St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be held this year on Sunday, March 17th 2024 The parade steps off at 1 p.m. from Abington Center. After making its way down Washington Street, the procession will turn right at Adams Street, then right onto North Avenue, and another right at Railroad Street, before ending at the New England Art Building, 10 Railroad St. Bring the kids to this fun weekend event
High school marching bands include Abington, Whitman-Hanson, Pembroke and Silver Lake Lake regional! Plus they got a lot of candy
One new entry this year is the Amazing Grace Equine Rescue, which will show off some of the rescued horses available for adoption. Joe’s Crazzy Critters will also be showing off some of its animals, weather permitting.
This year’s honorary parade marshal will be Abington Schools Superintendent Peter Schafer, who is retiring at the end of this school year. Bailey said Schafer will be walking the route with his wife and family – the first time a parade marshal has walked the route since John Walsh Sr. in the early 1980s.
Former Abington HIgh School head football coach Jim Kelliher will also be honored during the parade. Kelliher, who stepped down last November after more than 500 games, 300 victories, and five state titles, will ride the route in a convertible.
While your waiting for the Parade to start on Sunday . Stop by table outside the First Baptist Church ( corner of 58 & 139. Your kiddos can make these cute crafts. Complements of the Christian Children’s Center .
Roads along the parade route will start to shut down to thru traffic around Noon.
Checkout all the Saint Patrick’s Day events South Shore Boston
Some places to park! Remember roads close early at noon time
Abington Dental corner of route 18 and Shaw Ave
North School on Adams Street. You can park in the parking lot there
Beaver Brook before roads close at noon
Santander Bank Branch parking lot
Abington High/middle school
First Baptist Church on Route 58 right near the end of the parade will have restrooms open
Park at Saint Bridget’s then walk down-you will avoid traffic at the end of the parade
The Annual Abington St. Patrick’s Day parade started in a rather unusual way. It was as a result of a $10 bet between Jack Bailey and one of his employees. He made a bet that there would be a St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Abington on March 17, 1980. His intent was to decorate his trucks drive them around the block and collect his $10. However, word traveled. Then police Chief, Eddie Murphy asked to be grand marshal, he spread the word, got a permit from the Board of Selectmen, and on March 17 a line of over 50 Abington Residents and businesses with decorated vehicles traveled the length of Abington in the first Abington St. Patrick’s Day Parade. For many years the parade was held on March 17 regardless of the day of the week on which it fell. All of the mid week parades were entirely motorized. Once the 17th came on a weekend bands were hired and the parade became a marching parade. The marching parades became so popular that today all of the parades are marching parades and are held on Sundays. Awards are given for Best Decorated Car, Truck, Float, Best Use of Imagination, Most Spirited, and Best Color guard.