March is Approaching it must mean Snake Saturday in North Kansas City!
Yes, the March Snake Saturday festivities are back! The parade and festival will occur on March 12, 2022, starting at our normal time of 11:00 A.M. Floats, the carnival, the festival area will culminate on Snake Saturday into a day of Lucky to Be in NKC, the theme for this year. Of course, there are several opportunities to be a part of Snake Saturday and there are events leading to the big day.
Let’s begin with the first Snake Saturday event each year, the annual Grand Marshal Celebration. This year’s event will be at Harrah’s VooDoo Lounge on March 3, 2022. The Grand Marshal of the parade is introduced along with the annual Shamrock Award. The Shamrock Award (“Green Jacket”) is presented to a volunteer or organization who has been part of Snake Saturday for at least five years. The supporting community provides several donations which are distributed via a silent and/or live auction and other fun activities. All these funds are collected and distributed to the various charities and organizations which make up the parade.
With the venue change to the VooDoo Lounge 11 tables of ten have been reserved on the main floor. There are plenty of seats at cocktail tables around the bar area. Additionally, individual theater style seating is available on the mezzanine level.
Become a community partner sponsor of Snake Saturday by purchasing ten seats at $250. Your company or organization will be recognized as a Community Partner Sponsor where the proceeds are designated for the various charities which participate in the parade or charity cook off. Since inception by Mickey Finn and Bill Grigsby, Snake Saturday has approached 2 million in charitable giving.
Individual tickets are also available for $25 each. All the fun begins at 6:00 P.M. March 3, 2022. Note the new time. Before the VooDoo Lounge doors open, visit Winning Streaks next door to purchase a pre-event drink.
Once the doors open, check out the items for the auction, prepare your bids on the live auction items, get ready for some great music coming from the stage, celebrate the announcement of the Grand Marshals and the Shamrock Award winners, get ready to enjoy some great food from our supporting vendors. Also put on your best smiles and Lucky Irish Charm as this event will also be live streamed. Lots of fun, games, and ways to get Lucky! Lucky to Be in NKC!
On Saturday March 5, 2022 at 10:30 A.M. it is the annual Lad and Lassie Event at the NKC Parks and Recreation Center. This super happy event is always a fun event watching children show their lucky side. They dress in the theme of the parade and showcase their charisma before the judges. Two Lads and two Lassies (ages 2-4 and 5-7) are chosen to ride in the parade the following week.
The night before the parade is a tradition started twenty-four years ago for those charities who cannot always enter a float in the parade. It is the annual Snake Saturday Charity Cookoff where steaks are provided to the various charities, and the judges determine the best tasting steak based on a scoring system like a barbeque contest. This fun event is the perfect kickoff event for the parade and festival as the carnival opens on this night.
Then Saturday March 12 begins a day of fun as we see the city awaken with parade staff enjoying a hearty breakfast before scurrying out to organize the parade. Numerous charities enter the parade for the prize money provided by the numerous North Kansas City sponsors. Starting at 11:00 a.m. the parade begins its procession north on Swift, turning east on Armour Road, and then back south on Howell. As the entries pass by the judges and the grandstand stage the Fox 4 emcees will be saying a few words about each entry. The judges make their marks on the score sheets which are then tallied in City Hall and then money is distributed, and prizes presented at the awards ceremony at 3:00 at the YMCA.
It takes a community of sponsors, fans, family, volunteers, organizations, to put on the parade. Fortunately, when Mickey Finn and Bill Grigsby sat about starting this parade they made it a win-win parade for everyone. Since the inception of the parade over 1.7 million dollars have been awarded to various charities. Northland Festivals looks forward to seeing everyone at one of the Snake Saturday events as we celebrate Lucky to Be in NKC.
We are thankful and blessed to have the sponsors we have, to be able to hold this event each year. Special thank you to the City of North Kansas City and the North Kansas City Hospital as title sponsor.
