Washington Avenue will be renamed O’Washington Avenue and flowing green with all things Irish for the second-year revival of the Royal Oak St. Patrick’s Day Parade this coming Saturday. Al Carter, retired Royal Oak policeman and chairman of the parade, and his team have been working off the momentum from the revitalization of the parade last year.

“The Royal Oak St. Patrick’s Day Parade is Oakland County’s largest parade,” Carter said. “This is the second year after a four-year hiatus after COVID happened.”

Carter got the job when he inquired about the parade and learned the previous chairman had moved to Bay City.

“At that point, nobody brought it back or anything. And my wife and I raised our kids here and we’d always go to the parade and we enjoyed it,” Carter said. “I was coming upon retirement and I kept asking, ‘when are you bringing the parade back?’”

Carter got together with the remaining committee members, revamped the non-profit organization and got the Irish spirit marching back down Washington Avenue last March. Now with a larger cadre of sponsors including last year’s name sponsor, the Royal Oak Leprechauns summer collegiate baseball team. This year, Henry Ford Health is the named sponsor. Sullivan & Son Funeral Directors, Gus’s Snug, Abraham & Associates, the Royal Oak DDA, Green Wire Systems, John Cowley & Sons, North Oaks Dental & Orthodontics, Lilly’s Seafood, Fifth Avenue, Gilda’s Club, O’Sullivan’s Moving, AOH and Holiday Market have also signed on.

“Royal Oak has tons of events, but it was the first one that starts spring, you know, springs around the corner when we did the St. Patrick’s Day parade,” Carter said.

It takes a year to plan and develop the parade and he is thankful for the generous sponsors

“It’s like a full-time job takes and it’s a non-profit. So we had zero budget. Last year we did it by the skin of our teeth. This year, we learned a lot with our committee that I formed from last year and we hit it hard. And we really were very fortunate with Henry Ford Health. They did a big sponsorship for us. So that gave us a little bit of funding to start,” Carter said.

He noted some of the parade entertainers are professionals such as the dancers and bagpipers who are paid to appear.

“I went and cheered on parades many times and led the parade with the Royal Oak Police Honor Guard many times, never put two thoughts together of what went into it,” Carter said. “We have to shut parking meters off and that has to be paid for. Our Downtown Development Authority are very generous. We want to bring with that partnership, bring some business to all the businesses in downtown Royal Oak as well.”

He noted that several downtown restaurants will feature Irish food menus an opening up earlier to take advantage of the parade crowd. In addition to downtown businesses, Carter has pubs in Clawson and Rochester supporting the event.

“It’s not just the local community of Royal Oak. It’s spread to a little bit. And they’re going to have banners and signs in the parade in addition to it. Both Gus’ Snug and O’Connor’s are good Irish businesses,” he said.

This year’s Grand Marshall is Shirley O’Brien from the O’Brien Clan who are descendants of the late and former Judge Francis X. O’Brien.

“The whole family comes down. They build a float. They have buses and all this fun stuff,” Carter said. “And then our Honorary Grand Marshal is Father John from Shrine of the Little Flower. They’re actually participating and bringing a float and a trailer in honor of him.”

The parade will feature groups from Royal Oak schools, the St. Bridget Scholarship winners and Queen of the Court, an Irish Setter Group, The Ennis Center for Children in Detroit, bagpipes, dancers and many more. Floats and trailers will be judged and awarded prizes as well.

“We have another different band that’s coming, the Detroit Celtic Revival Band. They’re going to play live on a trailer. The Oakland County Sheriff and Michigan State Police are sending cars,” Carter said.

The parade begins at Royal Oak Middle School on North Washington and heads south beginning at noon. Parade announcers are former Royal Oak City Commissioner Carlo Ginotti and Fox 2’s Charlie Langton. The parade float Judges are Circuit Court Judge Mary Ellen Brennan, and 44th District Court Judges Derek Meinecke and Andrew Kowalkowski.

“We’re praying for that wonderful weather and no rain showers. But they say a little bit of rain is a sign of good luck, so we’re going to go with that if it happens. We have our stage set up at 5th and Washington,” Carter said.