The Soulanges Irish Society has been organizing the Saint-Patrick’s Day parade in the streets of the Town of Hudson since 2019. This pandemic year is forgotten, the parade is cancelled, but the organizers hope to see an Irish parade again soon.
Jay de la Durantaye, president of the Soulanges Irish Society, says the St. Patrick’s Day Parade is the non-profit organization’s biggest event. During the year, the organization raises money with fundraisers to finance the parade planned for St. Patrick’s Day.
“During the year, we prepare our headliners for the big parade, explains Mr. de la Durantaye. Fundraisers are crowning ceremonies for multiple personalities essential for the parade. We choose, the queen, the princesses of the parade, the Irishman of the year, the Grand Marshall as well as the Chief Reviewing officer.”
So close to the goal in 2020
The president of the non-profit organization mentions that he and his team had almost finished preparations for the St. Patrick’s Day parade in 2020. He points out that most of the people assigned to key positions in the parade had been chosen and that the money to carry out the parade had been collected. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 turned everything upside down and the parade had to be cancelled.
“All the money for the parade is in a bank account for the next edition, said the president. The stationery for the parade is already printed and since there is no date on the sheets, they can be reused for the next parade. Everything is in place.”
Much more than a parade
Jay de la Durantaye speaks about how the Hudson’s Saint-Patrick’s Day parade has a beautiful nested history in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges region. Since the Soulanges Irish Society took the reins of the project in 2019, the parade has been affiliated with restaurants in the area to advertise. He adds that according to the Sureté du Québec, the population of Hudson goes from 4,500 to more than 25,000 during the parade.
“It is also an event that pays off economically and regionally, says the president. People from Vaudreuil-Soulanges and the Montreal region come for this event. We are one of the biggest St. Patrick’s Day parades in North America.”
The non-profit organization hopes to be able to make a parade in September on the half way to Saint-Patrick’s day if sanitary measures allow it.
