Final preparations underway along Holyoke streets for this weekend’s parade, road race

HOLYOKE, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - The city of Holyoke is buzzing as they prepare for their annual St. Patrick’s road race and parade, which just days away.

“Looking forward to a great weekend,” said Holyoke St. Patrick’s Committee President Karen Casey.

Western Mass News stopped by Holyoke City Hall on Wednesday to check on preparations underway for the big St. Patrick’s Day weekend. We found the 2023 colleen court gathered around to raise the Irish flag while public works crews cleared snow from the roads and sidewalks in order to paint the signature shamrocks ahead of the celebration.

Casey told us most of the prep work is done. Now, they are just hoping for no more snow.

“Mother Nature didn’t help, but I think it already looks better…The DPW has done a great job so far with getting the streets cleared,” Casey added.

David Scher of Holyoke, who has been attending the parade for the past 50 years, said that in addition to corned beef and cabbage, he said his favorite part of the parade are the floats

“I like the individual floats that they have been working on it for a year and a lot of them are very well done,” Scher noted.

On Saturday, the annual road race will take and on Sunday, the parade will step off from K-Mart Plaza.

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