by Dionne Charolet

Saturday, March 6
The Old Ninth Ward Irish Festival – 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Come celebrate Irish Culture in New Orleans at Markey Park, corner of Royal and Piety. Twelve booths, traditional Irish and American foods, arts and crafts, live music. Proceeds go to charity. Live music 1-5 p.m. provided by The Drapers. Irish Ceilidh and Irish Dancers from 11-1 p.m. – folk dancing will be taught to the crowd. Free admission – sponsored by the Downtown Irish Club.

Saturday, March 6
Italian-American St. Joseph's Day Parade - 6 p.m.
Italian-American Parade will begin at Canal St.  and Chartres; proceeding down Chartres to St. Peter; left on St. Peter to Royal St.; right at Bienville to Bourbon St.; Another right onto Bourbon ST. down to St. Anne. Finally, the parade will turn onto St. Ann and proceed back to Royal St. and take Royal back to Canal.

Sunday, March 7
Irish-Italian-Islenos Parade – 11 a.m.
Marchers will start at 11 a.m. and the parade will begin at noon. From Paris Road and St. Bernard Hwy., the parade heads north onto West Judge Perez Drive and heads to the Super Wal-Mart, then turns around and heads back down West Judge Perez to the starting point. Camp out on the neutral ground and catch the parade on both sides!

Friday, March 12
Jim Monaghan’s Annual Irish Parade – 6 p.m.
Begins at Molly’s at the Market on Decatur and marches to Bienville, then Bienville to Burgundy, Burgundy to Conti, Conti to Bourbon, Bourbon to Governor Nicholls, Governor Nicholls to Decatur and then back to Molly’s.

Saturday, March 13
Irish Channel Parade – 1 p.m.
The Irish Channel St. Patrick's Day Club will hold its 62nd Annual Mass and Parade celebration on Saturday, March 13, 12 p.m. at St. Mary's Assumption Church (corner of Constance and Josephine Streets) followed by the parade (corner of Felicity and Magazine) at 1 p.m..
This year’s coveted Irish Channel medallion features Blarney Castle. It is legend that kissing the Blarney stone endows the kisser with the gift of gab, eloquence, or skill at flattery. “Blarney Castle is part of the McCarthy clan,” per Vice President Ronnie Burke, “and three of the past grand marshals were McCarthy clan. Each year we try to pick a different section of Ireland, and this year we chose the county of Cork in the southeastern part of Ireland.”
Cabbages will be handed from floats and marchers will hand out flowers for a kiss.

Sunday, March 14
St. Patrick's Day Parade on Metairie Road – Noon
The annual Metairie Road St. Patrick's Day parade celebrates its 40th anniversary parade on Sunday, March 14 with 55 trucks, 36 floats, 10 men’s marching clubs, and 3 ladies’ marching clubs.
The parade begins at noon in front of Rummel High School on Severn Avenue, goes down Severn to Metairie Road, then Metairie Road to the parish line. The 2010 Grand Marshall is Metairie Road merchant David Barreca of Barreca’s Restaurant. “Each parade participant,” states Captain Johnny Marchese, “will wear a green ribbon bearing a metal medallion that reads ‘Thanks for the memories – 40 years You, Us and Metairie Road.’” Green beads and logo cups will be tossed to the crowd.

Wednesday, March 17
Irish Channel Block Party at Annunciation Square Playground – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Everyone is invited to Annunciation Square Playground across from St. Michael’s special school. mass at noon. 13 different booths including food and crafts will benefit St. Michael’s Special School. Ronnie Burke says, “an Irish tenor from Ireland’s County Cork will sing at our mass and also the AOH [Ancient Order of Hibernians] dinner on March 17.”

Wednesday, March 17
Parasol's St. Patty's Day Party – 11 a.m. ‘til
Annual celebration in the Irish Channel – corner of Third & Constance Streets. Brand giveaways, green beads, green Jell-0 shots and of course LOTS of green beer!

Wednesday, March 17
Downtown Irish Club Parade – 6:30  p.m.
The annual downtown St. Patrick's Day parade begins on the corner of Burgundy and Piety in the Bywater, proceeds roughly up Royal, across Esplanade to Decatur, from Decatur to Canal, Canal back to Bourbon and then Bourbon to Orleans, where it disbands. The parade makes several "pit stops" on its way to Bourbon Street. Grand Marshall is Nick Vericchio. Man of the Year is Woody Coppel, President of the Orleans School Board. Throws include medallions and cups plus a whole array of throws. Per President Kenneth Gifford, “March 17 is for the Irishmen and we will have a good time! We’ll try to put on a good show for the residents and the visitors.”

Sunday, March 21
Louisiana Irish-Italian Parade – Noon
Irish Marshall Barry Kern and Italian Marshall Hans Brocato Liljeberg
The 2010 Louisiana Irish-Italian Parade will roll on March 21, at noon, on the traditional Veterans Hwy. route in Metairie.
Throws include red, white, and green flowers, garters, flag beads, panties, Louisiana Irish-Italian Parade logo beads, lucky beans, cabbage, carrots, and potatoes.

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St. Joseph’s Day Altars

When they arrived in the 1880s, Sicilian immigrants enriched New Orleans culture with their tradition of honoring St. Joseph. The celebration of creating or visiting an altar to St. Joseph is a March 19 must for area Catholics. Altar visitors can enjoy a gorgeous display including beautifully sculpted breads, cookies, and cakes. Hosts of this annual expression of giving invite New Orleanians of all religions, both locals and transplants. Many travel from altar to altar on St. Joseph’s Day to view each offering, enjoy a hot meal, leave a donation, and receive a bag of cookies, a prayer card, and “lucky” fava bean.

Visiting St. Joseph’s altars is a fun and inexpensive way to meet members of your community and enjoy the best of N’awlins Italian foods. Any leftover food is sent to those in need. Here is a sampling of the countless St. Joseph’s Day Altars available across the Metro Area. If you would like to verify that a nearby church or organization is serving meals or hosting an altar viewing, it is best to call.

BLESSED FRANCIS SEELOS CHURCH, 3053 Dauphine St.
March 18 – viewing 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
March 19 – 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.., meals served at noon.

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION (JESUIT) CHURCH, 130 Baronne St.
March 16 through 19 – viewing Tuesday thru Friday from 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.. Altar opens on Tuesday, with blessing after the noon mass. Meals served March 19 in Lenes Hall after the Friday noon mass and blessing.

OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY CHURCH, Vincent Hall, 1324 Moss St.
Sponsored by the Greater New Orleans Italian Cultural Society. March 18 – viewing 11 a.m.-7 p.m.. March 19 – St. Joseph Day Mass 11 a.m. followed by blessing, viewing 9 a.m. -5 p.m.. Pasta Milanese served in the school cafeteria at noon.

ST. JOSEPH CHURCH, 1802 Tulane Ave.
March 19 – viewing 9 a.m.-8 p.m.. in the church, altar blessing during the 12:15 p.m. mass, meals served until food runs out in the Rebuild Center behind church.

March 20 – viewing 9 a.m.-2 p.m..

St. JOSEPH CHURCH, 610 Sixth St., Gretna

Altar located in gym at 7th and Newton streets. Sponsored by church, prepared by St. Joseph Women’s Club.

March 18 – 6 p.m. candlelight procession followed by 6:30 p.m. mass, viewing to 8 p.m.

March 19 – solemn 10 a.m. mass, procession and altar blessing, meals served noon-6 p.m..

ST. ALPHONSUS (St. Mary's Assumption Church), 923 Josephine St.
March 18 – Blessing of the altar
March 19 – Viewing of the altar will be from 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.. Public served after 11:30 a.m..

ST. LOUIS CATHEDRAL, St. Anthony’s Garden, 700 block of Royal St. (behind the Cathedral):
March 19 – Following the 7:30 a.m. mass at St. Louis Cathedral, Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond will bless the altar. Traditional ceremony followed by public viewing 8 a.m.- 11:30 a.m., with reenactment of feeding of the Saints at 11:30 a.m.. The Holy Family will be played by children of the Cathedral Academy. Noon to 3 p.m. feeding of the public. Remaining food is sent to the homeless.

ST. RITA SCHOOL, 194 Ravan Ave., Harahan
March 19 – Sponsored by St. Rita Home and School Association in the gym. Blessing 8 a.m. for students and parents. Public viewing 9  a.m.-7 p.m. No food is served. Favor bags distributed.

TALAMO FAMILY ALTAR at the Talamo home, 520 Webster St. off Magazine St.

March 18 – 6 p.m. St. Francis of Assisi Parish Priest will bless the altar. Viewing 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

March 19 – Meals served 1 p.m.-5:30 p.m.. Bags handed out both days.

The following altars are viewing only:

Virtual St. Joseph’s Altar - http://thankevann.com/stjoseph/

DE LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL, 5300 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans on March 19 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

ST. ANGELA MERICI SCHOOL, 835 Melody Drive, Metairie

March 19 from 9 a.m.-noon.

ST. DOMINIC CHURCH, 775 Harrison Ave.,

Begins March 18 with 5:30 p.m. mass. March 19, 20, 21 from 8 a.m.-6 p.m.