St. Agatha in the News

Now see for yourself, in this exclusive BEE video, how much fun it was on March 11th when St. Agatha Catholic School returned from the pandemic by again presenting their St. Patrick's Day Community Parade and Festival:

Above: Eager students lunge forward, bearing the banner, as St. Agatha Catholic School’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade got underway on S.E. 15th in Sellwood, on March 11th. (David F. Ashton)

Below: This “Murray Irish Dance” lass kicked up her heels to an Irish tune. (Photo by David F. Ashton)

By DAVID F. ASHTON
For THE BEE

Even though it’s officially celebrated on March 17th this year, after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Inner Southeast Portland’s family-oriented St. Patrick’s Day celebration returned on March 11 – bigger and better than ever, and the first St. Patrick’s observance in the Portland area.

“This celebration has been a long tradition with us, going on for the last 20-plus years,” Krasneski told THE BEE, as the first of a team of Portland Police Bureau motorcycle officers began to arrive.

“We welcome our friends and neighbors back! We’ve ‘turned it up’ this year, with a St. Patrick’s Day full of fun and events!” Krasneski continued.

The parade stepped off at noon, going from the St. Agatha campus past the Sellwood Community House, then west on Tacoma Street to S.E. 13th Avenue and north through old town Sellwood and on to Westmoreland, before turning east along Bybee Boulevard, then south to return to the school via S.E. Milwaukie Avenue.

Even while the parade was still out in the community, families were arriving at the Kids’ Carnival, held in the St. Agatha gym – featuring games and a cake walk. Outside, in the all-ages beer garden (the younger ages don’t get beer!) was live music, and an Irish dance demonstrations.

“New this year is our Artists and Crafters Fair; and we’ve invited several neighborhood food trucks here to serve our guests,” Krasneski commented. “Altogether, about 75 volunteers worked for months to put this on, and we thank them for it!”

Unlike some events, this St. Patrick’s Day Carnival isn’t a fundraiser, or simply limited to church members or school students’ families, Krasnesk pointed out. “From the start, this has been created to be a community event. It’s all about ‘saying thank you’ to all of our neighbors, and all of our families in the greater East Portland area. We do this because we want to bring the community together!”

And, bring community together they did! When it was over, as many as 1,200 people had been there to enjoy the sainted day.

Read the story on The Bee's website here.