For immediate release: January 5, 2021
Toronto, Ont. – The annual Toronto St Patrick’s Parade will not take place in March 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The City of Toronto, following consultation with the St Patrick’s Parade Society of Toronto, has announced that the parade will not be going ahead next March to make sure the public is protected from the virus.
The people of Toronto’s safety and wellbeing must be the number one priority for city authorities, and the St Patrick’s Parade Society fully supports the measures taken to avoid large public gatherings until the virus is under control.
The annual St Patrick’s Parade in Toronto was one of the first events in the city to fall victim to restrictions in 2020 when social distancing measures were introduced in March last year.
The parade is one of the largest events in the city’s calendar, with over 3,000 people participating in the event each year and over 100,000 people watching on the streets. Toronto St Patrick’s Parade is also one of the most diverse St Patrick’s Parades in the world, representing the cultural diversity of the city and with communities of all backgrounds and ages taking part in the line of march.
Shaun Ruddy, Chair of the St Patrick’s Parade Society of Toronto said:
“While it is disappointing that there will be no St Patrick’s Parade in March 2021, the City of Toronto has made the correct decision by continuing to support social distancing measures.
“The organizers of Toronto’s St Patrick’s Parade fully support the decision made by the city. Protecting the public’s health must remain the priority, and the St Patrick’s Parade Society offers its full support to city officials in helping keep the people of Toronto safe.
“We would like to thank supporters of the parade for their continued support, especially to those who generously sponsor the event year in and year out. Many of these sponsors have committed to continuing to support of the parade and look forward to taking part once we all have defeated the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The parade has been an annual event in Toronto for more than 30 years, and we eagerly look forward to bringing Irish culture back to the streets of Toronto once it is safe to do so.”