![Downtown Roanoke St. Patrickโs Day festivities continue during COVID-19 pandemic](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/-RADfZpMh-SanZdFBgWiwtW_hIE=/1600x900/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/d1vhqlrjc8h82r.cloudfront.net/03-12-2021/t_58f35f804a8a417992d23fa4d3e29e73_name_image.jpg)
Downtown Roanoke St. Patrickโs Day festivities continue during COVID-19 pandemic
ROANOKE, Va. โ Streets usually filled with a sea of green will be relatively empty this weekend. Downtown Roanoke canceled its St. Patrickโs Day parade and Shamrock Festival, but restaurants are still open for business. Bryan Summerson from Big Lick Brewing Company said theyโre not officially celebrating St. Paddyโs Day until Wednesday. โWe really want to actively discourage any major social gatherings around St. Patrickโs Day. Roanoke native Cricket Price, who just got vaccinated, said she is laying low this year.
![Round Town: St. Patrickโs Day](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/ABgFEwDevw-T8LGv36o2YoIDMyI=/1600x900/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-gmg.s3.amazonaws.com/public/3HUPPD4TABAJBEBPYC6ASQCO6M.jpg)
Round Town: St. Patrickโs Day
ROANOKE, Va. โ Head to downtown Roanoke for the St. Patrick's Day Parade and Shamrock Festival. At the festival, enjoy music, vendors and more runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. The parade begins at 11 a.m.Highland County Maple Festival gets underway this weekend. Events take place throughout the county this weekend and next. Itโs Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Tickets are $5.
![Roanoke restaurants, businesses preparing for St. Pattyโs Day](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/cuseRZWOJiqkfdF2A6pP25IKZis=/1600x900/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/d1vhqlrjc8h82r.cloudfront.net/03-10-2020/t_eabff52d9b8b4ac7aae6f7dd146d615d_name_image.jpg)
Roanoke restaurants, businesses preparing for St. Pattyโs Day
ROANOKE, Va. โ Businesses and restaurants in downtown Roanoke are preparing for the massive crowds set to attend this Saturdayโs St. Patrickโs Day Parade and Shamrock Festival. Green shamrocks line the windows of Sheโs International Boutique in downtown Roanoke. Downtown Roanoke Inc.โs Jaime Clark said if the weather cooperates, there could be even more this year. While Clark said itโs hard to track how much money the festivities bring into downtown businesses and restaurants, they all certainly feel the effects. โWe hear anecdotally, of course, from our businesses that itโs a huge day, especially the restaurants.