North Kansas City · since 1983 · always the Saturday before St. Patrick's Day
Snake Saturday
See you Saturday, March 13, 2027, 11 a.m.The 43rd parade steps off at 14th & Swift.
Last March on Swift Street
The 2026 winners.
Every charity that marched went home with money. Here are the top honors and the top three in each division. Registration for 2027 opens November 1.
Best of Parade Eagle Award
Halo & Hogs
Mayor’s Choice
The Dogs Spot Training Center Agility Group
Mickey Finn’s Grand Marshal Choice
NKC Fire Department
Rainbow
- 1Halos And Hogs
- 2First Baptist Church, North Kansas City
- 3Kansas City Oasis
FOGY
- 1Central Auto Racing Boosters
- 2The Dogs’ Spot – Dog Training Center Teacup Agility Club
- 3Kansas City Collie Club
School Spirit
- 1North Kansas City School District Transportation Department
- 2Winnetonka High School
Performance
- 1Kansas City Dynamites
- 2Infinity Dance KC Performance Team
- 3KC Marching Sizzlers
Bands
- 1North Kansas City Hornet Marching Band
- 2Excelsior Springs Pride March Band
- 3Staley High School Band
Commercial
- 1IBEW Local 124
- 2Up North Brewery
- 3KC Bubble Parties
Charity Cook-off
- 1Northland Shepherd’s Center
- 2Gelle Foundation
- 3Redemptorist Social Services Center
Cook-off box decorating
- 1Redemptorist Social Services Center
- 2The Dakota Roger’s Project
- 3Finish Strong Foundation
Stop 1 · 14th & Swift
Four events. Eight days. One green week.
Coming in March 2027. Snake Saturday is never just a parade. The week opens with the Grand Marshal's party and ends with the whole town on Swift Street.
Emerald Hooley
Meet the Grand Marshal, cheer the Shamrock Award, bid in the auctions that fund local charities.
Lads & Lassies
Kids 2 to 7 show their Irish spirit. The winners ride in the parade a week later.
Charity Cook-off
Charity teams grill a steak for a $1,000 top prize. Every team walks away with at least $100.
Parade & Festival
11 a.m. on Swift Street, then the carnival, car show and concession row at 18th & Howell.
Stop 2 · Armour Road
Find your spot on the route.
The parade starts at 11 a.m. at 14th & Swift, heads north on Swift, east on Armour Road and back south on Howell. It takes about two hours to pass. Stay behind the painted green lines.
parking in public lots and streets north of Armour, south of 18th and east of Erie, or west of Clay.
If you park inside Swift, Armour and Howell, you stay parked until the parade clears.
The festival at 18th & Howell: carnival, kids' stage, petting zoo, car show and concession row.
From the organizers' 2026 route and parking page. The 2027 route will be confirmed in February.
Stop 3 · Howell Street
Every charity on this route goes home with money.
Nonprofits pay a $50 entry, build a float, and compete for cash. Here's what the 501(c)(3) division paid out in 2023, top to bottom.
- 1st$7,500
- 2nd$5,000
- 3rd$3,000
- 4th–5th$2,000
- 6th–8th$1,000
- 13th–16th$500
- Entry$50
given to local charities since the 1980s, by the organizers' count
of every dollar spent goes back out as prizes and scholarships
paid to the board. Every officer is a volunteer.
volunteers run the whole week
Sources: 2023 Rainbow results; Northland Festivals IRS Form 990-EZ, 2023–2025; organizers' running total. See where the money goes.
Stop 4 · 18th & Howell · Our founders
1983. Ten degrees. A handful of floats. One motel parking lot.
“We might as well take it to the street next year.”North Kansas City's mayor, after the first parade, as the organizers tell it
