PARADE HISTORY
"A Wee Bit of History"
Bay City’s parade first marched down the streets in 1955 and has grown to an event that has become a celebration for the Irish and Irish at heart. The first St. Patrick’s Day Parade was on March 17, 1955 at 5:30 p.m. The Parade started at Center Avenue and Monroe Street and disbanded at City Hall on Washington Avenue. Mr. Jim Noonan was the Parade Marshal and 10,000 people attended the parade. Sheila Tennant was the St. Patrick’s Day Queen riding the St. Patrick’s day float that featured a ‘harp’ theme.
Parade participants included the:
- Central high School Marching Band
- Local Boy Scout Troops
- Auburn Accordion Marching Band
- Knights of Columbus Fourth Degree Drill Team
- AAA Furniture
- Michigan Bell Telephone
- Gilman Plumbing
- Sabourin Drugs
- Munger Civil Defense Unit
Past Parades
Past parades have featured the Notre Dame Marching Band and Pipe Bands from the U.S. and Canada. Among the marchers in the parade have been Michigan’s Governor, Uncle Sam, and a ‘bonafide’ Leprechaun. Horses, Motorcycle, and Irish Wolfhounds have all been in our parades.
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Past Parade Records
Past Parades
Past parades have featured the Notre Dame Marching Band and Pipe Bands from the U.S. and Canada. Among the marchers in the parade have been Michigan’s Governor, Uncle Sam, and a ‘bonafide’ Leprechaun. Horses, Motorcycle, and Irish Wolfhounds have all been in our parades.
Year
Parade Marshal
Queen
President
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020 – 2021
2022
2023
2024
James Noonan
James Noonan
James Noonan
William Meagher
James ‘Jake’ Wackerly
William Meagher
Thomas ‘Timber’ Brennan
James Gates
Fred Mitchell
William ‘Bill’ King
Emmons Miller
Joseph ‘Joe’ Wackerly
Arthur ‘Pete’ Campau
Ed Dishaw
Al ‘Casey’ LeVasseur
Ross Tanner
Lee DeCorte
‘Irv’ McEachern
Dermot O’Keeffe
James Tanner
Burt Sullivan
Chet Kelpinski
Les Arndt
Michael Leahy
Mel Weaver
Jim Leonard
Jeannine Leahy
Vern McKellip
Larry & Sharon Piotrowski
Rose McEachern
Lydia Finn
Mary Ann O’Brien
Donald O’Hara
Bill Keipert
Tobi Breternitz
Betty Oswald
Clinton ‘Roger’ McGuire
George Walsh
Meg O’Hara Seymour
Denise Davidson
Molly O’Hara Runberg
Alan Rau
Rosalie Walsh
Jan Rau
Denise Larkin Cielinski
Nancy McGuire
Kathleen Wainwright-Marceau
Linda Winters Bilhimer
Linda Weaver
John Davidson
Eileen Marshall
Thomas Newsham
Sue Banaszak
Kathi Newsham
Helen Salois
Terri Bullock
Timoth Kelly
Denny Hayes
Kelly Reed
Lisa Walsh Kreh & Leslie Walsh
Michael Campau
Jerry & Sue Blondin
Rob Schmidt
Jack Frost
Mark Sprygata
Don Carlyon
Robert “Bob” Shea Jr.
Agnes Reder
Mechelle Moran Hill
Shelia Tennant
Mildred Lanagan
JoAnne Dorey
Judy Nord
Janet Vaughn
Sandra Kay Thorne
Lucille Emerson
Carol Anne McDonald
Sue Gilbert
Gwyn Blake
Barbara Joy McAllindon
Barbara Steiner
Connie Willett
Ashley Ann Bowker
Margaret Byrne
Kathleen Sullivan
Kathy Riley
Beth Dingman
Ann Poirier
Jeanette LaMont
Grace Niedzieiski
Lori Rase
Jodi Fasier
Denise Larkin
Kim Estabrook
Bridge LaRue
Laura Ruhland
Christine Harding
Lisa Walsh
Helene Anthony
Annette Rivet
Traci Halstead
Maribeth Revette
Holly Fenwick
Mechelle Moran
Kellie DuBay
Sarah Crook
Molly Mostek
Sharon Prendeville
Jennifer Bosco
Brooke Maurer
Heather Weaver
Tara DeBeauclair
Carrie Baldwin
Christine Mikolajcsk
Ashlie Marie Payne
Natalie LaLonde
Kate Rinz
Liberty Starkweather
Katie Runberg
Megan McCormick
Britney Reed
April Townsend
Lauren Moore
Heather Zywicki
Victoria Davidson
Allison Jacot
Sara Suchodolski
Kathleen Gallasher
Kaley Jenkins
Olivia Weidner
Aubrey Herr
Alana Wilson
Grace Kendziorski
Tegan Ferguson
Grace Sayles
Faith Sneller
Elizabeth Watz
Johanna Elder
Jack O’Shea
Robert Shea
Robert Shea
Robert Shea
Robert Shea
Robert Shea
Joseph Wackerly
Joseph Wackerly
Jack Wackerly
Jack Wackerly
Bill King
Bill King
Ross Tanner
Kathlyn Brennan
Ross Tanner
Burt Sullivan
Dermot O’Keeffe
Dermot O’Keeffe
Pete Campau
Pete Campau
James Tanner
James Tanner
Jack Wiesen
Jim Leonard
Jim Leonard
Larry Piotrowski
Larry Piotrowski
Jim Leonard
Jim Leonard
Norman Moore Jr.
Norman Moore Jr.
Jim Leonard
Jim Leonard
Dermot O’Keeffe
Don O’Hara
Don O’Hara
Jim Leonard
Jim Leonard
George Walsh
George Walsh
Roger McGuire
Roger McGuire
Don O’Hara
Don O’Hara
Burt Sullivan
Burt Sullivan
Denise Davidson
Thomas Newsham
Thomas Newsham
Thomas Newsham
Kathi Newsham
Kathi Newsham
Kathi Newsham
Kathi Newsham
Gary Colopy
Brian Drauss
Leslie Walsh
Leslie Walsh
Linda Weaver
Linda Weaver
Leslie Walsh
Thomas Newsham
Thomas Newsham
Thomas Newsham
Thomas Newsham
Thomas Newsham
Thomas Newsham
Thomas Newsham
Meghan Jurek