As Crawley New Town celebrates its 60^th birthday, the Celtic and Irish Cultural Society (CICS) are hoping with the help of St Patrick, and sponsorship from local based businesses Plumbase and Paslode Spit, to make it a year to remember.

The 4th Annual Saint Patrick’s Parade organised by the CICS, in association with Crawley Borough Council and Sussex Police, will be held on Sunday 18 March 2007 and will be the focal point for Crawley’s Saint Patrick’s Festivities. It’s not just an Irish only St Patrick’s Parade, it’s a parade for Crawley – something for everyone to enjoy in Crawley’s special birthday year. As Chairman, John Nolan explains:

Part of the aims of the parade, apart from having fun or having the ‘craic’, is to encourage Crawley’s diverse and vibrant community to participate in a greater understanding of Celtic and Irish traditions.

In celebrating it’s 60^th birthday Crawley has welcomed people from across the globe and the event is intended to encourage increased cultural awareness and help generate the party atmosphere of the worldwide St. Patrick’s celebration here at Crawley. The idea of the weekend is to bring cultures and communities together through participation that can only be good for the town and its inhabitants. And with all the communities working together the town can be better for it. The parade committee hope that the St. Patrick’s event can attract large numbers to the town and make Crawley the heart of the southeast’s festivities.

The parade will start at approximately 1.00pm from Crawley Bus Station (assembling from 12 noon onwards) and will be led by the Mayor and local dignitaries, followed by community floats, marching bands, Irish dancers, children in fancy dress and many more. Irish dancers and traditional live music will bring the day to an exciting climax when the parade ends in the High Street giving it that mini-fleadh ceoil atmosphere around town. Mr Nolan went on to say:

We would like to thank our joint sponsors Plumbase and Pasload Spit for their financial support this year, for without it the Celtic & Irish Cultural Society would find it impossible to stage this free event for the residents of Crawley.

Please feel free to bring flags of your native Irish county, your Celtic nation, or such flags as represent your cultural background. Everyone is welcome as the whole of Crawley is invited to celebrate Ireland’s national celebration. If you wish to organise a float, or represent an organisation that would like to take part in the event, please contact John Nolan – Telephone: 01293 513189, or email him on john.nolan@celtic-irish.co.uk