What time is the Newport St Patricks Day parade 2022?

NEWPORT — Finally, after two years of cancellations, the Newport St. Patrick’s Day Parade is back.

The historic and hugely popular event is slated for Saturday, March 12.

“I think there’s a lot of pent-up energy,” Mayor Jeanne-Marie Napolitano told The Daily News recently. “Hopefully it is not only going to be a great weather day, but people see family and friends again.”

Napolitano confirmed that city officials gave the parade the green light due to declining COVID-19 cases and a robust vaccine roll-out. 

“The governor had slowly released some of the mandates that were there, and we felt confident we were moving in the right direction,” Napolitano said.

When and where is the parade?

The parade kicks off at 11 a.m. at City Hall, rain or shine. According to the parade website, marchers will proceed down Broadway, through Washington Square, down Thames Street, America's Cup Avenue, then Thames Street to St. Augustin's Church on the corner of Carroll and Harrison avenues. 

Are other activities planned?

Dennis Sullivan, chair of the Newport St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee, said traditional events like the roast of the grand marshal will also be held this year, though he was still hammering out the details.

“Everybody wants to move forward,” Sullivan said. “People just want to get back to life…we’re expecting a huge crowd.”

Asked if anything will be different this year, Sullivan said some bands had disbanded due to the pandemic's disruption of their practices, so there will likely be some new talent on the streets. The parade committee, also, had planned to incorporate some substance abuse prevention signage for the 2020 parade, but since that event was snuffed, they plan to pick that up again for this year’s parade.

Who is the grand marshal?

Past parade marshals who didn’t get to march, too, will have that opportunity this year, Sullivan said. Other than that, it sounds like it’ll be the same parade that locals and visitors have come to know and love.

This year’s grand marshal is Robert “Rocky” Kempenaar II, president and owner of Kempenaar Real Estates, Inc., a commercial development company based in Middletown.

“He’s been very involved in the town,” Sullivan said of Kempenaar, pointing to his support of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Newport County and other local organizations and institutions.

“(He’s) not someone who’s trying to make a buck and not be a part of the town," Sullivan said.

Need more plans? Check out these events in March and April in and around Newport

Jimmy Winters, retired Newport police officer, community leader and entertainer, was named the grand marshal in 2021, and Brent Ryan and Derek Luke, co-founders of Newport Craft Brewing & Distilling Co., were the grand marshals in 2020.

Last two parades canceled by COVID-19

In March of 2020, COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the 64th annual Newport St. Patrick’s Day Parade for the first time in its history. What preceded the 7-0 vote by the City Council on March 11 to cancel the parade was a March 10 vote, 4-3, to carry on with the parade.

No parade in Newport:12 months later, decision to cancel Newport St. Patrick's Day parade an easy one

Shortly after that split vote to carry on, then-Gov. Gina Raimondo had recommended the parade be canceled or postponed. Following Raimondo’s recommendation and guidelines from the Department of Health regarding mass gatherings, the council took a second vote and moved to pull the parade permit.

To march or not to march was a tough and controversial decision then for city officials to make as uncertainties were rampant and mystery shrouded COVID-19.

And despite the warnings, many came to the city that year to celebrate.

"You can take the parade out the party, but you can’t take the party out of parade day,” a Coventry woman told The Daily News on March 14, 2020, as she joined throngs of people for a bustling downtown scene as patrons filled bars and restaurants sans parade.

The following year was easier on city officials; with people accustomed to masks and social distancing, the parade’s cancellation was sort of a no-brainer.

Napalitano told The Daily News in January of that year that a March parade didn’t seem feasible from a safety perspective, as COVID vaccinations were just beginning to roll out.

The parade committee hosted a party in September 2021 instead, featuring bands, including bagpipes that played “round-robin” style with participating businesses.

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