Nearly 100 Winnipeggers showed up to take part in the inaugural St. Patrick's Day parade Saturday.
"You look at cities like Chicago and Boston, they all have St. Patrick's Day parades," said Mike Boyle, who carried an Irish flag and walked with the parade Saturday.
"Parades are big in Ireland and throughout. There's big St. Patrick's parades all over the place, and why not Winnipeg?" said Sean Gannon, the parade's organizer.
Leprechauns and a sea of green could be seen moving throughout the downtown core, many eager to show off their Irish heritage.
The green beer will be flowing tonight, and despite the large crowds expected on city streets, pubs and bars, Winnipeg police don't plan on having an added presence.
"We're confident that the vast majority will have a good time and be responsible," said Jason Michalyshen of the Winnipeg Police Service.
But city bar and pub owners are preparing for one of their busiest days of the year.
"It'll go through phases. It'll get crazy busy and there'll be a lull. But either way the place will still be packed," said Sean Fawley of Shannon's Irish Pub.
And the holiday isn't just a boon for bars and eateries in the city, novelty shops like Gags Unlimited have been seeing increased business from people stocking up on St. Patrick's Day merchandise since late February.
"Some girls like to be a little risqué, so corsets, bandanas are really simple. They sell every year," said Katrina Murray of Gags Unlimited.
St. Patrick's Day commemorates one of Ireland's patron saints and the arrival of Christianity to the Irish people.
