Rather than be a day late, the 2012 St. Patrick’s Day Parade will march through Toronto streets on March 11, 2012.

Toronto’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade for 2012

The Toronto St. Patrick’s Day Parade parade benefits from publicity on the CP24 cable channel, but I never notice the important details because I’m so entertained by their leprechaun. For example, the 2012 parade will be held on March 11th, almost a week before the actual date of St. Patrick’s death and the Catholic saint’s day.

Details for the Toronto St. Patrick Parade

The important details for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Toronto include:

The St. Patrick’s Day parade will be held Sunday, March 11, 2012.

The parade starts at high noon, at the intersection of Bloor Street and St. George Street.

The route goes east on Bloor, south on Yonge, and east on Queen Street to Nathan Phillips Square in front of City Hall.

The parade should take about 90 minutes to pass by any one point.

The best way to get to the parade route will be public transit. The TTC delivers passengers by subway to the Museum station, St. George, Bay, Yonge & Bloor, Sherbourne, College, Dundas and Queen stations.

Anyone insisting on driving downtown should give the parade route a wide berth.

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade’s Grand Marshall’s Ball on March 10th

Those with $150/person who contact Lorraine Morley (via the web site provided below, in the “Reference” paragraph) before March 7th, may dine with the Grand Marshall, Eddie Thornton, at the Liberty Grand in Exhibition Place.

Dinner is at 6pm on Saturday, March 10th.

Who Organizes Toronto’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade?

The non-profit St. Patrick’s Parade Society of Toronto organizes this annual event.

Membership in this non-sectarian and non-political, non-profit organization is available to anyone for a small annual membership fee. The web site (below) provides an application form.

Disclaimer: I’m not a member of the society and not being paid to publicize the parade.

Reference:

Refer to the society’s web site, “Toronto St. Patrick’s Day Parade“, for further details about the parade. Their site includes contact information for the Grand Marshall’s Ball; their membership application form; background about St. Patrick; Irish recipes; and contacts for Irish social organizations.

The web site names their current sponsors. To no-one’s surprise, Irish pubs and a brewery are represented. There are indeed other types of business as well, putting my thoughts of stereotypes to shame.

Those wishing to participate in, or sponsor, the 2013 Toronto St. Patrick’s Day Parade should also refer to their site for contact information.

Extra: One Place to Celebrate on the Actual St. Patrick’s Day

(Added March 10, 2012): Whether or not you miss the parade on March 11, Torontonicity reports that the “North Building of the St. Lawrence Market” will be open for St. Patrick’s Day festivities on Saturday March 17, 2012. Apparently there will be three time slots: 11am-2pm; 2pm-6pm; and 8pm until they throw out the stragglers.

Unless an Irish pub in Toronto advertises here via Google, you simply have my best wishes that you find your own way to celebrate your inner Irish spirit.