DETROIT (WXYZ) — The 62nd annual Detroit St. Patrick's Day Parade in Corktown has been canceled due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
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It was scheduled to take place along Michigan Ave. in Corktown on Sunday afternoon.
Mike Kelly, the co-chair of the Detroit St. Patrick's Parade and President of the United Irish Societies Board of Directors, posted a letter on Facebook.
Dear Friend of the Detroit St. Patrick’s Parade,
As you may have heard, in final preparation for the planning of the 62nd Annual Detroit St. Patrick’s Parade, the parade leadership team, in conjunction with Governor Whitmer’s and Mayor Duggan’s teams met and we agreed it was best to cancel this year’s parade.
The health and safety of our participants, spectators, local businesses and sponsors is our top priority, especially after we learned about the first cases of COVID-19 in Michigan today.
We appreciate your dedication whether you’re a brand-new participant, or one of our longtime friends, supporters, Corktown businesses, sponsors or a City of Detroit leader who helps make our parade possible every year.
The Detroit St. Patrick’s Parade team looks forward to staging another historic parade in March 2021 and our goal is to make it bigger, better and more successful than ever!
Thank you again for your steadfast support.
Sincerely,
Mike Kelly, Co-chair, Detroit St. Patrick’s Parade
President, United Irish Societies Board of Directors, Detroit
The news comes on the heels of other major cities in the world canceling St. Patrick's Day parades, including in Chicago and Dublin.
