Let’s March

Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day! Bring your group, business, team, or band and be part of the fun! Join us as we parade through downtown Knoxville on Saturday, March 12, 2022.


There are many ways to sponsor this year’s parade. As our event grows we have seen the growth of more events, more visitors, more media coverage and more parade participants meaning two things – more exposure for all of our sponsors and partners and more support for the thousands in need helped by Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, who will receive the proceeds from this year’s event.

Sponsorship form >

Counting down the days to March 12, 2022!

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Chris Blue, 2022 Grand Marshal

Knox St. Patrick’s Parade is proud to announce our 2022 Grand Marshal, Chris Blue.

Chris Blue, a Knoxville native, is the 2017 Season 12 winner of The Voice. He began singing in church at age 3 and never looked back. Chris won the Voice-Off Knoxville competition in 2015, then toured locally as well as in England, The Bahamas, Jamaica and the Virgin Islands. He attended Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga, TN, and was actively involved in the campus worship ministry as well as the campus gospel choir.

Chris auditioned in 2017 to compete in season 12 of The Voice. In the blind auditions, broadcast on March 14, 2017 on NBC, he sang “The Tracks of My Tears” from The Miracles. He won the title for the season.

Since then he has released albums: One Light, Fresh Start, Accomplished, The Complete Season 12 Collection (The Voice Performance).

Chris and his wife, Stephanie, have one daughter, Alina-Dior.

Listen to Chris Blue on Apple Music >

McLaughlin Irish Spirit Scholarship

The Knox St. Patrick’s Parade committee awarded their first annual, “John and Pat McLaughlin Irish Spirit Scholarship”, with excitement today. The scholarship was awarded to 2020 high school graduate, Catherine Gleason. The scholarship is named for the late Mr. and Mrs. John and Pat McLauglin, the original parade organizers in the 1980’s. Mrs. Sue McLaughlin Greer, the oldest of the McLaughlin children, was on hand to help present the scholarship.

Please watch the video (below) to hear the history of the McLaughlin’s and how the family chose this years recipient in their parents honor.

Continue to Support

Our hearts are heavy but our Irish eyes will continue to smile. It was a sad day for our little non profit company. When we decided to bring the St. Patrick’s parade back to Knoxville we decided we wanted all the proceeds to benefit Catholic Charities of East Tennessee because they help those in our community that are most vulnerable. Because of that reason, we decided to cancel this years parade and Cel-O’-bragh-tion. We did not want to make any of our participants, volunteers and spectators vulnerable to a virus.

Our annual parade is an amazingly fun day that has successfully raised money for CCETN. CCETN is an EVERYDAY organization that is always in need of donations in order to continue their amazing work for our communities most in need.


Please visit www.ccetn.org for more information.

Thank you to Gus’s & Cyclebar

Thank you to local businesses, Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken and Cyclebar Bearden for giveback days on Sunday, March 8. It is only with the support of local businesses and families that our parade can be a success.

Gus’s Giveback Day was a winner! 10% of their sales on Sunday come directly to the parade. Folks enjoyed Gus’s fried chicken, delicious sides and, of course, southern pies.

Cyclebar Bearden raised $700 in 45 minutes! Cyclers of all fitness levels donated to our cause during their “Ride for St. Paddy’s”.