Coast’s biggest St. Patrick’s Day parade moves to new city. Here are the details
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- Hibernia Irish Society moved the St. Patrick’s Parade from Biloxi to Ocean Springs.
- Parade runs March 14, starts 1 p.m. at Front Beach and joins Ocean Springs events.
- Biloxi adopted a 2024 special events ordinance; Ocean Springs events are growing.
Everyone’s Irish when the Hibernia Irish Society’s St. Patrick’s Parade rolls in South Mississippi, and this year the celebration is moving to a different Coast city.
The parade is on Saturday, March 14, and instead of marching through downtown Biloxi and past the casinos, it will be part of the St. Patrick’s Day party in Ocean Springs.
The day-long event starts at 10 a.m. with specials at shops and restaurants. After 4 p.m., the bars join the celebration with green-themed drinks, Irish-inspired food and live music
The parade starts at 1 p.m. at the Front Beach and follows the usual parade route through downtown Ocean Springs. The throws tend to be shamrock beads and even heads of cabbage.
Biloxi has hosted the parade for many years since the society was established in 1978, and even devoted part of a city council meeting each year to introduce the new grand marshal and colleen, and serve refreshments.
This year’s grand marshal, colleen, and St. Patrick are Sean Tindell, Amy Bowman and Jeff Ryan.
Ocean Springs is hosting an ever-growing list of events throughout the year. Biloxi adopted a special events ordinance in 2024 that requires organizations to help pay for security and services the city takes on for Mardi Gras, spring break and other large events.
The president of the Hibernia Society did not return requests for comments about why the parade was moved.
“We are excited to host another community-wide event that brings both residents and visitors out to enjoy everything Ocean Springs has to offer,” said Cynthia Sutton, president and CEO of the Ocean Springs Chamber-Main Street. “We are especially honored to welcome the Hibernia Irish Society St. Patrick’s Day Parade as part of our annual, day-long St. Paddy’s Day celebration.”
This story was originally published January 23, 2026 at 3:45 PM.
