Irish blessings are coming to Lexington with the ninth annual Shamrock parade and festivities on March 9. The Lexington Blowfish and O’Hara’s Public House bring the parade, kids zone and a U2 tribute concert to downtown Lexington all day Saturday. 

“The Blowfish started the parade and the parade just continues to grow each year,” said Bill Shanahan, Lexington County Blowfish’s co-owner. 

The parade is going on its ninth year taking place on Main Street in downtown Lexington with this year being the most exciting parade yet, according to Shanahan. The Commanding General of Fort Jackson, Maj. Gen. Jason E. Kelly, will be the grand marshal. 

There will also be a slew of entries and participants including the 282nd Army Band, Irish dancers, plenty of mascots, local businesses and music from O’Hara’s Irish band.

This year, O’Hara’s Public House’s owner Matt O’Hara wanted to show his enthusiasm for the St. Patrick’s Day themed festivities, Shanahan says. O’Hara’s is hosting the free kids’ zone in the morning at the Icehouse Pavilion from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. right before the parade starts. Then after the parade, O’Hara’s hosts the U2 tribute band at the Icehouse Amphitheatre featuring Rattle and Hum. 

Tickets cost $15 and gates open at 3 p.m. The concert starts at 4 p.m. and there will be beverages and food available for purchase. 

The Irish themed events all started in 2015 with Shanahan wanting to bring a little Irish history to Lexington. According to Shanahan who grew up in a traditional Irish family in San Francisco, Calif., he and his two sisters would march and perform in San Francisco’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade and festivals. 

He says he and his sisters were trained in Irish step dancing and had training for a number of years. So Shanahan and his wife, Vicki, decided to bring a little Irish heritage to Lexington nine years ago.