• St. Patrick’s Parade cancelled for Painesville Township

Painesville Township has decided to cancel its 2020 St. Patrick’s Day Parade for concerns over the potential spread of the novel coronavirus.

The parade would have occurred March 15 but was ultimately decided against after township trustees spoke with the Governor’s Office and the Lake County Emergency Management Agency.

Township Administrator Michael Manary released a statement which explained the cancellation was “based on an abundance of caution for everyone’s health.”

The cancellations come on the heels of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine declaring a state of emergency for Ohio and banning gatherings of large groups of people.

A subsequent dinner that was to follow the parade’s conclusion at Hellriegel’s Inn has also been cancelled.

This would have been the second year in a row trustees held a St. Patrick’s Day parade exclusive for Painesville Township. Trustees are taking the setback in stride and already planning ahead for next year by announcing the date of 2021’s parade.

“This is very disappointing as a lot of time went into planning and we had a lot of exciting new additions that would have made this a fabulous parade for all,” a statement from the township’s social media account read. “But, based on the directives we received, we felt it was the best choice in the interest of public health and well-being to side with caution and cancel.”

The township mentioned the possibility of a make-up event may be discussed in the future when risks subside.