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Lower Burrell goes green for 5th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade | TribLIVE.com
Valley News Dispatch

Lower Burrell goes green for 5th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade

Jack Troy
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Jack Troy | TribLive
Organizers say the fifth annual Lower Burrell St. Patrick’s Day Parade had the most participants of any so far on Saturday, March 15.
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Jack Troy | TribLive
Mary O’Neil, 90, waves to onlookers at the Lower Burrell St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 15.
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Jack Troy | TribLive
From left, Daniel Kline, 7, Andrew Kline, 5, and Kaden Stearman, 5, on the hunt for candy at the Lower Burrell St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 15.
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Jack Troy | TribLive
A biker with the Westmoreland BMX track parade group celebrates St. Patrick’s Day by popping a wheelie along Leechburg Road in Lower Burrell on Saturday, March 15.
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Jack Troy | TribLive
Emerson Stevenson jumps for joy at the Lower Burrell St. Patrick’s Day Parade while her mother, Erin, looks on on Saturday, March 15.
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Jack Troy | TribLive
More than 100 vehicles were part of the Lower Burrell St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 15.

This year’s Lower Burrell St. Patrick’s Day Parade had more participants, more candy and, toward the tail end, more rain than ever before.

But gloomy skies didn’t keep hundreds of spectators clad in green from lining Leechburg Road for the city’s fifth annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration.

The parade kicked off at 11 a.m. and lasted about 30 minutes.

More than 100 cars, firetrucks, side-by-sides, bikes — even a tractor — made their way from Stewart Elementary School to the Hillcrest Shopping Center.

By the estimation of organizers Leslie Zellers and Terry McClain, that’s a record.

“Every year, it just keeps getting larger, and every year, it’s more and more fun,” Zellers said.

Last year, that fun had a somber undertone as the community mourned David “Mogie” Magill, who was shot and killed outside of his restaurant, Mogie’s Irish Pub, less than three months earlier. He’s credited with helping to form the first parade in 2021.

On Saturday, many revelers went straight to the pub after the parade to keep the fun going.

And while Magill certainly won’t be forgotten, Mayor Chris Fabry said, this year’s event had a lighter feel.

“Everyone can kind of let loose this year,” he said.

Jack Troy is a TribLive reporter covering the Freeport Area and Kiski Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on Penn Hills municipal affairs. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in January 2024 after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh. He can be reached at jtroy@triblive.com.

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Categories: Local | Top Stories | Valley News Dispatch
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