On Monday, popular St. Patrick’s Day festivities in Ireland and Boston were canceled due to concerns about the spread of coronavirus. With Savannah’s festivities set to draw hundreds of thousands, the question has lingered: Will Savannah cancel its St. Patrick's Day Parade?
For now, it appears the answer is no, according to Mayor Van Johnson. He spoke with the Atlanta Journal Constitution Tuesday about being between a “proverbial rock and a hard place.”
With other cities canceling events, Savannah will likely look to Savannah for their weekend and St. Patrick’s Day plans as an alternative, Johnson said. Since thousands will flock to the city, the organizers are at an impasse. The festival this
We have to make our decision based on data, not based on fear and paranoia," Johnson said. "It's further complicated by the fact whether or not we canceled, people are going to come. The challenge for us if you have the festival at least you have some control. If you don't, of course, it's kind of unchecked.
Johnson shared his first thoughts why the city had not opted to cancel the parade and festival on Facebook Monday night.
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“The Georgia Department of Health has not made any recommendations or given any advice about canceling or altering the activities,” he wrote, adding that Gov. Brian Kemp had not issued a state of emergency in response to the approximately one dozen cases of coronavirus in Georgia.
Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade typically draws nearly 300,000 people and features bagpipe players, decorated floats and Irish dancers. It’s one of the most popular destinations to celebrate the holiday in the world.
Atlanta appears to have taken the same course, with the Saturday parade, self-described as the country's longest-running one, is still planned for the weekend, according to the Atlanta St. Patrick's Day Parade website.
Boston, another hot spot for the Irish holiday, will not hold its parade, according to Mayor Marty Walsh. He opted to cancel the beloved St. Patrick’s Day events that were to take place in his city this weekend and next week.
“While the risk in Boston remains low, this situation is changing very quickly and we are closely monitoring any local cases,” Walsh said in the statement. “Our top priority is preventing any new cases, to the best of our ability, and we are paying close attention to guidance from public health officials.”
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Events in Dublin, Ireland, and various other Irish destinations were canceled Monday morning, as the world deals with the more than 115,000 cases and more than 4,000 deaths due to the virus.
President Donald Trump will hold a news conference Tuesday night to quell concerns for businesses and working-class citizens feeling forced to work even if they might be suffering from the virus.
Johnson, in his statement, sent well wishes to the thousands of people now affected by the virus, which first emerged in January.
“Please keep all the people and communities affected by this virus in your prayers,” he wrote.
When is Savannah’s parade?
As is tradition, the parade begins at 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, March 17, following celebration of Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.
When is Atlanta’s parade?
The parade begin at noon Saturday, March 14, and the route will travel through Midtown Atlanta on Peachtree Street.
Concerns about the coronavirus have resulted in the cancellation of many events and large gatherings. The AJC will monitor these announcements and keep you informed about any postponements, rescheduling and cancellations, but it’s best to check with venues or event organizers before making plans to attend. To get the latest on the coronavirus, download the AJC news app.
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