Citizens of Scituate and surrounding towns were devastated when they heard rumors that the infamous Scituate St. Patrick’s Day parade would be canceled this year due to the Scituate Chamber of Commerce dropping this event from their schedule. As the “most Irish town on the South Shore,” Scituate is known for staying true to their reputation on the day that celebrates Irish heritage. Without an organization sponsoring the event, the parade was in jeopardy.

Luckily, the rumors ended, and the parade is scheduled for Sunday, March 20th in Scituate Harbor. Ed Kelley, chairman of the Scituate parade, explained that the Scituate Harbor Business Organization took over the event. This organization is led by Paul Kukstis, owner of Kukstis Woodcarving, located in Scituate Harbor. Collectively, Kukstis, Kelley, and the members of the organization have been working hard in order to raise enough money to create the best parade possible. Kelley explained the  amount of money raised determines the size of the parade. In the past, Scituate has been known for hosting the largest St. Patrick’s Day parade on the South Shore, so in the weeks and days leading up to the 20th, every penny raised counts.

According to Kelley, Scituate is known for its spirited and entertaining St. Patrick’s Day Parade. He said all participating entertainers are hired to perform in the parade. This contributes to half of the $50,000 price tag for the parade. The remaining money covers the cost of the police and fire details, public outhouses, insurance to host the parade, and other smaller aspects of the event.

The Scituate Harbor Business Organization is also receiving sponsorships through corporate businesses. Contributing business logos are then posted on the parade’s website and billboard. In addition, social events were hosted to raise extra funds: The Mad Hatter’s Ball, Mayor of the Parade competition, and a raffle of two round trip tickets to Ireland helped defray the parade’s cost.

Whether this year’s parade is the biggest or smallest St. Patrick’s event on the South Shore, parade organizers hope the Scituate community will rally around the parade to celebrate the town’s Irish spirit.