Philadelphia St. Patrick's Day Parade to return after 2 years

Mark your calendars. Philadelphia's St. Patrick's Day Parade comes back from a two-year hiatus on March 13.

Why it matters: The return of the tradition, which has been celebrated in the city since 1771, feels like a taste of normalcy.

• The 2020 parade was one of the first major events to be canceled because of the pandemic.
• "We've waited the longest [to celebrate]," Grand Marshal Michael Bradley Jr. said.

Details: The festivities begin at the 9am Commemorative Parade Mass, which will be held at Saint Patrick's Church in Center City.

• The parade will start on JFK Boulevard between 16th and 20th streets before continuing east on JFK by the north side of City Hall.
• It then goes left onto Market Street all the way to Front Street before ending at Penn's Landing.

What's new: All previous grand marshals are invited back this year to march.

The intrigue: The theme is the same as it was supposed to be for 2020: 250 years of faith, family, friendship and heritage.

• Karen Boyce McCollum, the second vice president of the St. Patrick's Day Observance Association, is excited to walk with three generations of her family.

• "There's tons of people who march in the name of their ancestors who came to Philadelphia," she said. "It encompasses everything the parade is built on."

What to expect: Prepare for crowds. More than 200 organizations are coming on top of regular spectators.

• "I fully expect the streets of Philadelphia to be filled with people ready to celebrate and move forward with their lives," Bradley said.