UPDATE (3/12/20): It’s canceled.

Last week, we gave you the details about Milwaukee’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, coming to downtown Saturday, March 14. A few days later, we gave you a quick overview of how Milwaukee officials are preparing for a theoretical/inevitable coronavirus outbreak. (Main thing they’re doing: reminding us to wash our hands.) So what happens when you mash those two bits of news together? An announcement that, despite Ireland cancelling a number of St. Patrick’s Day parades, the Milwaukee St. Patrick’s Day Parade will go on as planned.

“We have been in contact with the Milwaukee Health Department about the Coronavirus and possible impact on the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, but have no plans to cancel the event at this point,” says Stacie Callies, Executive Director of Westown Association, in a press release. “We encourage anyone that suspects they might be sick to forgo any of the parade-related activities this week just as they would for any type of illness.”

So yeah: the Milwaukee St. Patrick’s Day Parade is still a go for March 14. Wash your hands. Read the full press release below:

Milwaukee St. Patrick’s Day Parade Still Planned for Saturday, March 14
No plans to cancel the event due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19)

MILWAUKEE – The Shamrock Club of Wisconsin and Westown Association, who partner to organize Milwaukee’s largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration, the Shamrock Club of Wisconsin St. Patrick’s Day Parade, announced there are no plans to cancel the event scheduled for Saturday, March 14 at Noon in Downtown Milwaukee due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Parade organizers will closely monitor the situation and will follow the direction of the Milwaukee Health Department and Center for Disease Control as the situation continues to evolve locally. At the time of this announcement, there are no confirmed cases of the virus in Milwaukee County.

“We have been in contact with the Milwaukee Health Department about the Coronavirus and possible impact on the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, but have no plans to cancel the event at this point,” said Stacie Callies, Executive Director of Westown Association. “We encourage anyone that suspects they might be sick to forgo any of the parade-related activities this week just as they would for any type of illness.”

Presented by Miller Lite, the parade steps off at Old World Third Street and Wisconsin Avenue ending at Water Street and Highland Avenue. This year’s parade will feature over 120 units including Irish dance groups, pipe and drum corps, local celebrities and dignitaries and much more. The Milwaukee St. Patrick’s Day Parade is one of the oldest and longest running St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the nation, dating back to 1843. The Shamrock Club of Wisconsin has produced the parade since 1967 and has been in partnership with Westown Association since 2002.

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Matt Wild weighs between 140 and 145 pounds. He lives on Milwaukee's east side.