The Harp & Shamrock Society of Gaithersburg has sponsored an annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Gaithersburg, Maryland for the last 11 years. The 11th annual parade was held at the Washingtonian Center in Gaithersburg on March 12, 2011. Our 2012 Parade will be held on St. Patrick's Day, March 17.

The Harp & Shamrock Society of Gaithersburg is a non-profit, all volunteer organization. Our mission is…

• To create a sense of community in the greater Gaithersburg Area.
• To stimulate the spirit of St. Patrick's Day and appreciation for Irish heritage.
• To promote “The Dwelling Place” – a local organization that exists to provide support and guidance to homeless families while they work through the issues that made them homeless while keeping family members together.  Underemployed parents learn skills that will enable them to provide income that independent living requires.   Also, programs are offered for the children of these families that will help improve their school performance.

 A recent article in the GAZETTE (March 16, 2011) regarding our parade said:

The rhythmic tapping of Celtic dancing and the drone of bagpipes filled the air Saturday during Gaithersburg's 11th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Thousands of spectators were on hand for the celebration, held at the Washingtonian Center. This year's event set an attendance record with more than 7,000 spectators, said Gaithersburg Police spokesman Officer Dan Lane. The parade generally draws about 4,000 people from around the county, according to organizers.

Sixty-nine groups of dancers, bagpipe bands, school groups, clowns, fire trucks, equestrian units, service organizations and others marched in this year's parade, said Dorthy Winder, the city's coordinator for the event.

Two Irish-American authors — Alice McDermott and Danny Costello — served as Grand Marshals.

The parade was sponsored by the city of Gaithersburg, Harp and Shamrock Society of Gaithersburg and the Peterson Companies at Washingtonian Center.