What is Snake Saturday? Explaining the history of North KC’s St. Patrick’s Day parade
The annual Snake Saturday parade in North Kansas City takes place this weekend, bringing thousands of people from around the area to Swift Street.
Since its inception, Snake Saturday has taken place the weekend before St. Patrick’s Day, rain or shine. This year, it is at 11 a.m. on March 16, the day before the Irish holiday.
1984 marked the first official Snake Saturday, and this year it celebrates its 40th anniversary, titled “Mickey Finn’s Irish Dream,” after one of the founders.
For the last 40 years, Snake Saturday has been a celebration exclusive to North Kansas City, according to parade organizer and publicist Mindy Hart. But where did it start? Here’s what we found.
Who came up with Snake Saturday?
The first event of its kind happened in 1983, thanks to founders Finn and Bill Grigsby. Finn had done a “parade” in a Rodeway Inn parking lot as an advertising gimmick for the motel, and they had so much fun that Grigsby, the mayor of North Kansas City, suggested taking it to the streets the following year, Hart said.
But what’s with the Snake Saturday name? It honors St. Patrick, who is said in Irish folklore to have driven the snakes away from Ireland in the 5th century.
“It is in reference to one of the legends associated with St. Patrick is that he stood atop an Irish hillside and banished snakes from Ireland — prompting all serpents to slither away into the sea,” Hart said. “In fact, research suggests snakes never occupied the Emerald Isle in the first place.”
Forty years later, and the parade has raised over $1.9 million for local charities. The parade gives away over $50,000 each year to charities through the parade and the charity cook-off, where 25 charities compete to see who can cook the best steak for the $1,000 grand prize, Hart said.
All charities leave with something, she said.
Where does the Snake Saturday parade take place?
The parade route goes from 10th Avenue to 14th Avenue along Swift Street and along 14th Avenue from Howell Street to Swift Street. These roads will be closed for the duration of the parade.
North KC Public Works will close all parking along the parade route before the parade starts Saturday. While there is no designated parade lot, they recommend parking in these areas:
Any public lot or street north of Armour Road
Any public lot or street south of 18th Avenue and East of Erie Street
Any public lot or street west of Clay Street
Public parking at the former NKC Pro Bowl located at 18th and Erie Street.
Fayette Street and East 18th Avenue is also closed for the festival that happens after the parade comes to an end.
Hart did not say how many she expects to show up this year. Usually, on “bad” weather days, they see around 30,000 people. On “good” weather days, North Kansas City could attract more than 100,000 people for the parade and festival.
