Sydney Parade launches fundraising bid for 200th anniversary

Sydney’s St Patrick’s Day Parade Committee has just launched a campaign to raise $350,000 to hold next year’s event, the 200th anniversary of the first parade in Sydney.

The Sydney parade is the largest in Australia and third largest in the world, after Dublin and New York. It attracts more than 100,000 visitors to the city centre on the day, 35,000 to the family day in Hyde Park after the parade, and this year’s national media coverage reached an audience of over four million people.

Sydney’s parade and family day is run as a not-for-profit event with sponsorships, memberships, grants and donations funding the festival.

“The event goes from strength to strength each year and increased numbers in attendance mean additional expenses such as more security and infrastructure at the parade and family day,” said Gerard Ryan, president of the Sydney St Patrick’s Day Organisation.

“This also means additional opportunities for organisations wishing to sponsor various segments of the event from the title sponsorship of the parade through to presence at the Hyde Park event such as sponsorship of the main stage.

“We are targeting sponsorship from Ireland as well as Australia for the first time this year. The economic downturn is likely to have an effect though,” he said.

Waterford-man Ryan is not underestimating the task of fundraising but said that the parade’s very survival depends on securing sponsorship.

“There will not be a parade if we don’t get the funds, it’s that simple,” he said. 

“But we are being positive in our outlook. The Irish community as a whole will have to get behind this. The same people can’t keep doing it all the time,” he said.

The 2010 event will be the 200th anniversary of the parade being recognised as an Irish day of celebration by the government of NSW.

“It was back in 1810 that Governor Macquarie recognised the celebration by providing entertainment on the day for convicts who were employed by the government at the time,” Mr Ryan told the Irish Echo.

Ryan said  that he is pleased to have the support of the Sydney City Council and would like to see all Sydneysiders get involved in the day.

“The city is really respectful and behind the parade because of the professionalism we have always shown in organising it. As I said many times it is not just the Irish celebrating being Irish but Sydney celebrating its Irish history and heritage,” said Mr Ryan.

There are a number of sponsorship packages available, from major sponsorship of the parade itself to smaller fundraising events such as the ever-popular Irish Bachelor of the Year Awards held each February.

“We would like to hear from organisations wishing to register their interest in sponsorship opportunities. We work with all sponsors to tailor packages that ensure the partnership is mutually beneficial,” said Mr Ryan.

The 2010 Sydney parade will be held on Sunday, March 21.

Potential sponsors can get in touch with Gerard Ryan by email at president@stpatricksday.org.au or through the St Patrick’s Day Parade website www.stpatricksday.org.au

by Pádraig Collins