Parade, entertainment to mark St. Patrick’s celebration in Henderson

Henderson will be more green than usual at a St. Patrick’s Day celebration this weekend.

Starting Friday at 5 p.m., the Henderson Events Plaza at 200 Water St., will kick off the Irish holiday weekend with a carnival, festival and live entertainment with local music group Killian’s Angels.

Festivities for the 49th annual Southern Nevada Sons & Daughters of Erin St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival begin Saturday morning at 10. Parade-goers can expect to see more than 100 floats and entries, children’s groups and several local school bands, event spokeswoman Nicole Johnson said.

“It will all be decorated with lots of green, shamrocks and leprechauns,” she said.

Patrick Murphy, the only surviving founding member of Southern Nevada Sons & Daughters of Erin, will be the parade’s grand marshal.

Parade participants will have the chance to win different ribbons of recognition, including “greenest float” and “most original.”

Once the parade is over, people can choose to stay and partake in carnival and festival activities, enjoy live Irish entertainment, see the car show or even choose to shave their heads for the St. Baldrick’s shaving event.

Vendors will sell traditional carnival food including funnel cakes and cotton candy, as well as serving traditional Irish foods that also include corned beef and cabbage.

All proceeds from the weekend’s event will benefit the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a charity dedicated to raising money for childhood cancer research, and other charities supported by Southern Nevada Sons & Daughters of Erin, Johnson said.

Saturday’s event ends about 9 p.m. with a show by local band The Civilians.

Final celebration commencements continue Sunday from noon to 9 p.m. for another round of live entertainment, festival and carnival activities.

Throughout the weekend celebration, event-goers can take to social media sites to share their experiences under #TurnWaterStreetGreen.

Admission to the three-day event is free, though some activities may require a fee. Street closures by Water Street for the weekend will start at 2 p.m. Friday.

Contact Cassandra Taloma at ctaloma@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Find her on Twitter: @CassandraTaloma.