Despite Parade Cancellation, Savannah Expects St. Patrick’s Crowds, Possible Virus Surge

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March 11th, 2021

Sarah Hardilek uses a mechanical lift Thursday to hang green streamers for St. Patrick’s Day at the Plant Riverside hotel and entertainment complex in Savannah. Savannah officials have canceled the South’s largest St. Patrick’s Day parade for a second year because of the coronavirus. However, big crowds are expected for the Irish holiday, raising concerns that Savannah’s celebration could cause an outbreak.

Russ Bynum / Associated Press

The South’s largest St. Patrick’s Day parade is canceled, as is the boozy riverside festival that accompanies it.

Regardless, Savannah is preparing for its largest crowds since the yearlong pandemic began — an influx that officials worry could bring a surge in coronavirus infections.

The Irish holiday typically means Savannah’s manicured squares and magnolia-shaded sidewalks are packed with thousands of gaudy green revelers on March 17. But with Georgia still reporting at least 1,000 new COVID-19 infections daily while ranking last in U.S. vaccinations, city officials pulled the plug on this year’s parade — as they did a year ago when the pandemic was starting.

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