Salem celebrates St. Patrick’s Day with music, walkabout
Dozens participated in a St. Patrick’s Day walkabout Saturday with traditional bagpipes, drums and green clothing.
The walkabout included traditional Celtic music from Willamette Valley Pipes and Drums. It started at noon and went around Riverfront Park, continuing on Northeast Court and Liberty Streets before returning to the park from State Street.
Ceilí of the Valley, the organizer, is a local nonprofit that celebrates the culture and heritage of Celtic peoples — those primarily from Ireland, Scotland and Wales — through social events, according to its website. It has been organizing St. Patrick’s Day walkabouts in Salem for 14 years.
It started to rain heavily during the walkabout, which did not stop the musicians from playing their traditional songs. Many park visitors observed the walkabout from windows, cars and sidewalks.
St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday that celebrates the arrival of Christianity to Ireland in 5 AD. Officially celebrated on March 17, it commemorates the life of St. Patrick, who was responsible for evangelizing thousands in Ireland and died on that day in the year 461.
Contact reporter Alan Cohen: [email protected].
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Alan Cohen is an intern at the Salem Reporter and an undergraduate at Willamette University. Born and raised in Spain, he has also been involved in student journalism for three years, and is passionate about bringing a voice to underrepresented communities through ethical reporting.
