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Baton Rouge’s Best Day
Written by Ella Ray and Bella Angelos
Everybody knows that when it comes to
holiday celebrations, Louisiana does it
best. The Wearin’ of the Green Parade on
St. Patrick’s Day is a uniquely Baton Rouge
event that brings fun for all ages. It’s a local
tradition dating back to 1986 led by Pat
Shingleton, founder of the event and former
weathercaster at WBRZ. The next parade
will be held on Saturday, March 16, 2024.
The parade brings a full day of events and
sights that light up Baton Rouge in green
and white.
The Wearin’ of the Green Parade is a 2-3
hour event that begins at the cross-section of
South Acadian Thruway and Hundred Oaks
Avenue. The longest stretch of the parade
goes all the way down Perkins Road to end
on Stanford Avenue. Most people gather on
the Perkins Road Overpass for a perfect view
of the parade. For those wanting to set up a
tent or chairs for the event, the Perkins Road
BREC Park is a comfortable place to wait.
Even if you can’t attend, the whole event is
livestreamed on WBRZ and the Wearin’ of
the Green Parade website.
Parade goers love seeing the creative,
fun, and a little bit silly floats. The Oscar
Meyer Wienermobile is exactly what you
imagine it to be. The giant orange and
yellow hotdog float has rolled with the
Photo Credit: Laura Metcalf
parade since 2009. The crew of
the Wienermobile is often college students
who apply for the position, so check out the
Oscar Meyer website if you want to be a
“hotdogger” in the next parade!
Another food-shaped float joined the parade
in 2017, The Nutmobile. Planter’s incredibly
life-like peanut float is joined by Mr. Peanut
Budweiser Clydesdale horses
himself adorned in a festive shamrock vest
and parade beads. Another beloved addition
to the parade is the Budweiser Clydesdales.
The magnificent horses have led the Wearin’
of the Green Parade almost every year since
2016. Their beauty is amplified by the green,
gold, and white ribbons they wear to the
Clydesdales parade.
The idea for the parade began in 1982 when
Shingleton was asked to cover a St. Patrick’s
Day parade for WBRZ. Once there, he was
shocked by how small the line-up was. A few
years later, Shingleton was in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania watching their St. Patrick’s
Day parade when inspiration struck. The
next year, the Wearin’ of the Green Parade
rolled out. Each year since the parade has
expanded and become something more
special to Baton Rouge. It highlights the
community through featuring local vendors,
having parade marshals who are local
legends, like Todd Graves, and creating a
wonderful atmosphere that fills the city
with the luck of the season.
Calling early risers who are looking to get
a workout in before the parade! Lace up,
deck out in green and gold and participate
in The Wearin’ of the Green 5K Shamrock
Run/Walk for all ages! The race starts at
Moreau Physical Therapy, covering the last
mile of the historic Parade Route. Early bird
registration is $35, so sign up through the
website before fees increase on January
1, 2024. The race begins at 8 a.m. and is
followed by the parade at 10 a.m.
Photo Credit: Laura Metcalf
38
Grand Marshals Todd Graves and Nelly in 2022
| LSUREVEILLE.COM/THEMAG | SPRING 2024
For more information about the parade, visit
wearinofthegreen.com.
