The Minneapolis St. Patrick’s Day Association welcomes your family to join us this year in celebrating St. Patrick’s Day 2012. The Minneapolis St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be held on Saturday, March 17th, on the Nicollet Mall beginning 6:30 p.m. The parade route will start at Nicollet and 13th Street till’ it reaches 5th Street. The history of the parade dates back to 1969 when Duff’s Bar and the Bradford’s Pub initiated the first St. Patrick’s Day Parade for Minneapolis. It was a short caravan between the two pubs, and ironically, was prompted by friendly jibing of some gentlemen of other ethnic backgrounds. The first parade consisted of one float, provided by the Sons and Daughters of Ireland. It was a social event, including wild members of the Minnesota Vikings Football team riding motorcycles into Duff’s bar to commemorate the parade.