COTTLEVILLE, Mo. — Another St. Patrick’s Day parade has been canceled over coronavirus and overcrowding concerns.
Officials handling the Cottleville events in St. Charles County confirmed with 5 On Your Side the parade and run have been canceled. Officials said this was a joint decision between all people involved.
Event organizers released the following statement Wednesday evening:
"In a joint decision with the St. Charles County Health Department and the St. Charles Division of Emergency Management, Cottleville Firefighters Outreach is cancelling the Shamrock Run & Parade on March 14, 2020. This decision was made in response to the recent cancellation of other events in our area. Our shared concern is that a large number of attendees from the other events may overload our emergency resources and create a significant vector for disease spread. This decision weighs heavily on our minds, but in accordance with the CDC guidelines, we think it’s the right decision to protect our community at this time."
Cottleville’s Shamrock Run & Parade is one of the biggest St. Patrick’s Day-related events in the St. Louis area.
The decision to cancel came about an hour after St. Louis officials decided to postpone the downtown St. Patrick’s Day Parade and run. Mayor Lyda Krewson announced the decision on Twitter Wednesday afternoon.
“I know that postponing large and popular events can be disappointing, but protecting the public's health and safety is paramount as COVID-19 continues to spread. We can't take any chances,” she wrote.
Wednesday evening, organizers of the Dogtown parade and Irish festival also decided to postpone their on St. Patrick’s Day festivities.