CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — With temperatures in the teens, the annual parade hosted by the SaPaDaPaSo — St. Patrick’s Day Parade Society — was likely one for the record books. Still, small crowds lined most of the parade route on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, even as some spectators took to the skywalks or watched the […]
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St. Patrick’s Day parade set for downtow
UPDATE March 16, 2026: Despite Iowa’s blizzard, SaPaDaPaSo announced that the parade will be held as scheduled this Tuesday, March 17. Bundle up! CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — March weather can be maddening, with record high temperatures one day and snow two days later, as evidenced this week, but the annual parade for the SaPaDaPaSo — […]
Signature Freedom Festival event heats u...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — A change from the usual morning parade gave extra heat to the sweltering afternoon Freedom Festival event in New Bohemia. As part of a new Patriotic Fest in the New Bohemia area, the 30-minute parade made its way down Third Street SE into Czech Village, flanked by spectators who braved temperatures […]
Will Meta take down this post, too?
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — It’s been nearly a week since St. Patrick’s Day, when I posted photos from the annual parade in Cedar Rapids, a post that was almost immediately removed by Meta when I shared it on Facebook. “To keep people safe,” the AI system noted, “we ask everyone using our technology to follow […]
Cedar Rapids celebrates 50 years of St. ...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The 50th anniversary of the annual SaPaDaPaSo — St. Patrick’s Day Parade Society — parade was celebrated on a blustery day in downtown Cedar Rapids. With temperatures starting in the 50s and winds gusting to 40 mph, about 70 entries made their way downtown on Monday, March 17, 2025, the traditional […]
Downtown Cedar Rapids parade returns on ...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — After returning to the traditional day last year, the annual SaPaDaPaSo — St. Patrick’s Day Parade Society — parade will again be held on March 17. In 2022, organizers cited a challenge with finding volunteers during the workweek in moving the parade to the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day, but returned […]
Crowds flock to downtown Cedar Rapids fo...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Thousands of spectators lined the streets of downtown Cedar Rapids, as cloudy skies cleared halfway through the 90-minute Freedom Festival Parade on Saturday, June 29, 2024. After scorching temperatures in 2023, this year, 75 parade entries made their way down Second and Third avenues, ending at Greene Square, with relatively mild […]
City vows bridge closure won’t deter Hou
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — As the city prepares to close the 16th Avenue Bridge of Lions once again, this time for preventive maintenance, Houby Days organizers hope the closure doesn’t rain on their parade. The annual festival, scheduled for May 17-19, 2024, in Czech Village, will honor Iowa Hawkeye women’s basketball player and former Washington […]
Parade returns to St. Patrick’s Day in C
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Blustery winds accompanied the return of the SaPaDaPaSo — St. Patrick’s Day Parade Society — parade on March 17. In 2022, organizers cited a challenge with finding volunteers during the workweek in moving the parade to the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day, but returned to the traditional day this year. Even […]
Photos: 2023 Freedom Festival Parade
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — This year’s Freedom Festival Parade escaped the rain that dampened festivities the past two years, even as severe thunderstorms threatened the area. More than 50 entries entertained the crowd that lined downtown Cedar Rapids on Saturday, June 24, 2023, as temperatures quickly soared into the 90s. Canceled in 2020 due to […]