HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Downtown Huntsville turned green Saturday as crowds lined the streets for the 49th annual Ellen McAnelly Memorial St. Patrick’s Day Parade, a beloved community tradition celebrating Irish heritage with bands, floats, and festive energy.
The parade honors Ellen McAnelly, founder of Finnegan’s Pub, who launched the tradition in 1978. Nearly five decades later, her spirit continues to shape the celebration, according to parade organizer Sonnie Hereford.
“I ran this parade from 1996 over to 2011, working with Ellen McAnelly, who was the first owner of Finnegan’s Pub,” Hereford said. “She started Finnegan’s in 1977 and then the first parade in 1978. We vowed to keep the parade going, and I think I’m the last remaining organizer who worked with Ellen.”…