Dallas

2022 Dallas St. Patrick's Parade is Back; Mavs Legend to Serve as Grand Marshal

Dirk Nowitzki, who wore No. 41 for the Mavericks, will be the grand marshal for the 41st annual parade

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After a difficult two years for businesses along Greenville Avenue, the Dallas St. Patrick’s Parade and Festival is back.

City leaders held a press conference Tuesday afternoon to detail the event set for Saturday, March 12 beginning at 11 a.m.

“There’s been a lot of suffering, but we’ve kept our heads up in the city and we’ve worked hard to get to a point where we can safely do something like this again,” said Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson.

The parade serves as a scholarship fundraiser for the Greenville Avenue Area Business Association (GAABA) benefitting Dallas ISD seniors.

The event draws approximately 125,000 people and over 100 parade entries.

Businesses along Greenville Avenue said the parade is easily their biggest business day of the year.

NBA legend and former Dallas Maverick Dirk Nowitzki will serve as the grand marshal of the 41st Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade and Festival in Dallas on Saturday, March 12, 2022.

The city canceled the event the past two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic, including calling off the parade in 2020 with just two days' notice.

“When they pulled out the rug tow years ago two days out, with the amount of product we bought, food, liquor and then two days later being shutdown for five months, obviously we had a lot of things go to waste,” said Tommy Donahue the general manager of Milo Butterfingers. “It was a heartbreaker, but to have it back means everything not just for us business owners but for the city.”

The owner of Desperados Mexican Restaurant, Jorge Levy, led the fundraiser’s production in 1987.

“It’s our biggest day of the year for all the merchants up and down Greenville. It’s huge,” he said.

His two restaurant locations have survived the pandemic, thanks in part to federal funding.

“We go the loans from the [PPP] and we made it through and now we’re getting to where we’re having more business than we did in 2019.”

The city is, however, well aware that the COVID-19 pandemic is not over.

The virus is still averaging one death and over 100 cases per day in Dallas County, according to online health statistics.

The mayor said the decision to proceed with the event this year was based on the wide availability of vaccines and education on how vulnerable populations can stay safe.

Johnson acknowledges he did not consult with health experts about this year’s event.

“I think at this point everyone kind of knows how this virus works, how it spreads. We know a lot more than we did two years ago and I feel very comfortable we can have this parade in a safe way and have a great time,” said Johnson.

This year’s grand marshal is none other than Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki who appeared alongside leaders on Tuesday.

Nowitzki said he knows how popular of an event the St. Patrick’s parade is and what its return will mean for so many people.

“Bringing people back together after two obviously long and hard years worldwide,” said Nowitzki.

The retired basketball icon said he is happy to finally have the time to take part in the event.

“There’s no real planning on my end at this point,” he said jokingly when asked whether he has practiced his wave. “I’m going to enjoy and have some fun and be myself.”

For more information about the 2022 Dallas St. Patrick’s Parade and Festival, including the parade and concert, click here.

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