Annual Brookside St. Patrick’s warm-up parade is canceled because of coronavirus
The annual Brookside St. Patrick’s Warm-Up Parade scheduled to take place on Saturday has been canceled as a precaution to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, event organizers announced Thursday.
The Brookside Business Association Community Improvement District said their decision to cancel the event was based on similar action by other groups in Kansas City and elsewhere.
The move comes the same morning Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas issued a state of emergency, forcing all events with more than 1,000 people to cancel and halting non-essential travel for city employees.
Several events surrounding the Kansas City area’s annual celebration of St. Patrick’s Day have been canceled as federal, state and city leaders grapple to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
“We decided canceling the event is the most responsible decision and in the best interest of those in our community,” the group said in a press release.
“We know the announcement will be disappointing to many who enjoy the annual celebration and reunion in Brookside.”
The group said the annual parade means a lot to Brookside residents, businesses, and others across Kansas City.
“This was a difficult decision and one we hoped we would not have to make,” they said.
The annual Snake Saturday Parade as well as next week’s St. Patrick Day Parade have been canceled.
Mayor Quinton Lucas has said there have been no confirmed cases in Kansas City.
The Brookside group began the St. Patrick’s warm up parade 40 years ago.
“Thank you to everyone for your patience and understanding while we evaluated options,” the group said.
