On Saturday, March 15, 2025, downtown Springfield was alive with the vibrant colors and sounds of the 40th annual Springfield St. Patrick’s Day Parade. This year’s event was a spectacular celebration of Irish heritage and community spirit, drawing crowds from all over to witness the festivities.
Woodward Community Media’s Bondsy, of 99-7 The MIX, and Josh Roberts, of 104.5 WFMB, emceed the parade, keeping the energy high and the crowd engaged. The parade featured over 107 floats and 7 local marching bands, each contributing to the lively atmosphere with their creative displays and musical performances.
The theme for this year’s parade was “Raise a Glass to an Irish Lass,” a fitting tribute as the Grand Marshall was Kylee Kazinski, the first-ever female leprechaun mascot for the Notre Dame football team.
One of the key goals for this year’s parade was to donate $5,000 to St. John’s Breadline, a local charity dedicated to providing meals to those in need. The community’s generosity and support were evident, as attendees and participants alike contributed to this noble cause.
Debbie Thompson, Vice President of Staging and Reviewing Stand, expressed her delight at the success of the parade: “Banner year for the parade this year! For the first time ever, the parade has a title sponsor, O’Shea Builders, and a generous number of other sponsors, 7 marching bands, and the largest amount of volunteers! Lastly and just as important, great weather. Thank you to the members of the parade board and volunteers who made it another great parade!”
The float contest added an extra layer of excitement to the parade, with creative and beautifully decorated floats vying for top honors. The winners were:
- 1st place: Carrollton Bank
- 2nd place: OOT Box Media
- 3rd place: Rumble Around the Lake
