Preparations underway for the largest Peoria St. Patrick’s Day parade to date

PEORIA (25News Now) - In just a few days, Downtown Peoria will be a sea of green as preparations are underway for this year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade.

This year’s parade will begin Friday, March 17th 11am, rain or shine.

The parade committee says 165 floats will make their way through downtown.

The route starts at Kumpf and Monroe and will go down Main Street, Jefferson, Liberty, and Adams.

It will end between the Peoria County Courthouse and Caterpillar’s Headquarters.

With so many entries Peoria’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade Event Chairman KC Murphy says the floats will be a sight to see, ”I always look forward to the crazy contraptions, like there’s a flying pig every year. We have a roller-skating leprechaun; the Brophy family always has something exciting but it’s always top secret until they get here.”

Families are encouraged to watch the parade and gather by Liberty, Jefferson, and Adams.

”Last year we were just outside and excited to be having a parade at all just after two years of not getting to have one,” says Murphy, “this year I think everyone is coming out and really wants to get into it.”

The streets along the parade route are expected to be blocked off until at least 2pm.