Bay City turns green with shamrocks and shenanigans this weekend

In one nearby city, the river turns green to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. In Bay City, it’s the revelers who don the colors of the Irish for a weekend of events celebrating a heritage embraced by this community for decades.

Graphic courtesy of the St. Patrick's Day Parade AssociationThe 2025 St. Patrick’s Day Parade Marshal Liberty Starkweather Smith poses with 2025 Queen Katelyn Morris. Click here to read Route Bay City’s story about the history of the St. Patrick's Day Parade and races. Keep reading to learn more about this year's schedule of events.

Every year since the first St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Bay City has drawn thousands to its downtown to celebrate. In 2025, the Bay City St. Patrick’s Day Festival celebrates 70 years of shamrocks and shenanigans.

The event is more than a celebration. It’s also meant to unite the city around a common theme.

The cornerstone of event is the parade, which every year has continued to grow. This year, organizers expect about 125 floats, marching bands, scout troops, veterans organizations, and planned exhibitions in the parade. One highlight is a restored historical firetruck from early Bay City history.

The 2025 Parade Grand Marshal is Liberty Starkweather Smith, who was the St. Patrick’s Day Parade Queen in 2003. She’s been a big part of the Bay City Friends of Celtic Culture. She also helped revive the Parade Queen Scholarship Pageant, which keeps the tradition alive for future parade queens. She will be joined by Queen Katelyn Morris and her court.

Grace Sayles, Vice President of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade Association, says the weekend of events brings together generations of families and unites people.

Graphic courtesy of the St. Patrick's Day Parade Association“With a world that is changing, there’s something that has continued to remain consistent in our community and that has been bringing this parade to life for so many and to walk down Center and see generations of families that come together to celebrate this together. I think there's power in that, there's power in the community to come together and celebrate.”

Sayles says Bay City is happy to share this event with more than just the local community. People come from all over the state to enjoy the entire festival, from a Friday night concert to the Sunday afternoon parade.

Graphic courtesy of the St. Patrick's Day Parade AssociationThe schedule of events includes:

Fri., March 14

The weekend kicks off with a concert at the State Theatre put on by the Friends of Celtic Culture.

The Celtic band Blackthorn will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the State Theatre, 913 Washington Ave. in Downtown Bay City. Visit the State Theatre website for tickets and information.

Based in metro Detroit, Blackthorn includes as its lead singer Belfast native Richard McMullan. During the concert, the band will perform a blend of traditional and contemporary Irish music, including sea shanties, jigs and reels.

Sat., March 15

Saturday starts with a wellness expo at Bay City Central High School, 1624 Columbus Ave. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. runners can pick up race packets, get a massage, and find necessities for Sunday’s race.

It’s never too early for little leprechauns to lace up their running shoes. Right after the expo, little sprinters are invited to the high school track. Options for the fun run range from a quarter-mile to a full mile.

The Little Leprechaun Run is an untimed event, but runners receive a finisher medal, race bib and T-shirt.

Also on Saturday, you can meet royalty with the Cocoa with the Queens at My Secret Garden, 600 Saginaw St. in Downtown Bay City. The event runs from 11 a.m. to noon.

Saturday’s final event is a Mass at Our Lady of Peace – St. Mary’s Church, 507 N. Walnut St. Mass begins at 4 p.m. The Parade Marshal, Queens, Court, and Association members will be at the Mass.

Sun., March 16

Before the parade on Sunday, you’re invited to a 10 a.m. Flag-Raising Ceremony at the Bay County Building, 515 Center Ave. The parade committee will hoist the flag and play the National Anthem at the County Building to start the day’s festivities.

By then, the Bay Area Runners Club will have transformed Center Avenue into a race course for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Races.

Runners, race walkers, and spectators from all over the state converge downtown for the annual 5K, 10K, and Irish Double races. The event brings thousands of people to compete each year in the timed events. Visit the Bay Area Runners Club website for the start times of each race.

Tips for making the most of the weekend

Whether you’re in town for the green beer, the parade, or the festival of races, Sayles and the parade committee offer a few suggestions:
 

• Plan on arriving downtown at least a half-hour before the parade begins. Center Avenue will be closed to traffic on Sunday from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. and there will be no crossing from north or south all day. Parking on side streets is allowed, but she asks drivers to be respectful. Don’t block driveways or you might get towed.
• Portable bathrooms will be stationed along Center Avenue. Handicap accessible locations will be at Center Avenue and Lincoln Street.
• Trash bins also will be located along Center Avenue.
• Planning for bridge tolls construction is new this year. Sayles reminds visitors that Independence and Liberty bridges both charge tolls. The Lafayette Street Bridge, commonly called the double hump bridge, is under construction. Veterans Memorial Bridge is free. Veterans carries M-25 and Business Spur I-75 over the Saginaw River. It is located just south of Wenonah Park on the East Side and Veterans Park on the West Side. For information on the toll bridges, visit the Bay City Bridge Partners website.

The official end of the parade stop is Mulligan’s Pub, 107 Center Ave., but throughout the city there will be a lot of other places offering to help celebrate the Irish heritage for anyone who cares to join.

Sayles says everything from an Irish Pub crawl to corned beef and cabbage suppers and green beer on tap will bring out the blarney in everyone.

“There are all sorts of things going on and we just hope that people will come and take part this week,” Sayles says. “The mayor proclaimed this week is Irish week here in Bay City, so it's going to be a good week. Even if you aren't Irish, you get to be Irish this week.”

Graphic courtesy of the St. Patrick's Day Parade AssociationGraphic courtesy of the St. Patrick's Day Parade AssociationGraphic courtesy of the St. Patrick's Day Parade Association