Augusta, GA
Augusta businesses share thoughts over new St. Patrick’s Day parade route
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – One of the biggest parades in Augusta will take place on Saturday.
The Irish American Heritage Society will host the St. Patrick’s Day parade downtown.
Friday was an “all over the place” day of preps for organizers, but they started off their day honoring former Augusta Mayor Patrick Walsh at the monument on Telfair Street.
The green fountains, festive paintings, and shiny green decorations can only mean one thing in downtown Augusta — St. Patrick’s Day is near.
“Lot of fun, lot of festivities, lot of comradery, putting on a great parade for the city of Augusta,” said Russell Gambill, 2024 Parade Grand Marshall.
The parade will start at 2 p.m. Saturday, heading west on Telfair Street from 7th Street, then going north for a block on 11th Street and heading east on Greene Street to 6th Street.
Things will be a little different with the new route.
“Shortening the parade route just complicates things a little bit but the parade is gonna go on and we’re still gonna have a good time no matter what,” said Parade Chairman Tyler Snead.
Some businesses are upset the route changed. One says they hope parade-goers don’t forget about the businesses on Broad Street even though the route has changed.
Katlyn Kelly with Groucho’s Deli said: “We’re very disheartened and upset because not only did they move the Christmas Parade already, away from Broad Street, now they’ve moved St. Patrick’s Day. We have to kind of stagger labor a little more to be smarter in case we don’t get a business, like a big pop.”
A new business, Tip Top Taps, says they still anticipate a crowd after the parade.
“People will be back on Broad Street after the parade and we hope they’ll come visit. We’ll have extra people on duty to make sure everything moves quickly,” said owner Marty Koger.
Parade organizers say they don’t plan on being on Telfair Street for long.
“Hopefully next year and if not next year, the year after, we’ll be able to bring it back down Broad Street and help out all those businesses,” said Snead.
Tip Top Taps will have live music after the parade and Groucho’s will have some beer specials all day long.
As the weekend approaches, Pineapple Ink Tavern is ready for the foot traffic.
“It’s fun to watch. It really is. And you find yourself drawn into it, and you want to be a part of it, and it’s got Irish history here. I’m all for it,” said manager Hope Trujillo.
Because whether it’s a holiday or not, they want your support.
“We’re not part of a corporation. We’re not part of a chain. So when guests come in the door, they’re really important to us, we want people to come back. We want to make them regulars. We want to make them family,” she said.
They’re hoping for a little Irish luck with this new parade route.
“I would love for everybody to come give this parade route a chance, you know, enjoy it for what it is. And then just come over a block. See what we got over here on broad we got some great shops. We got some great restaurants. We have so many genres of food. I mean, you just really can’t go wrong with just a stroll,” said Trujillo.
The parade isn’t the only St. Patrick’s Day event downtown.
Bars and pubs downtown are gearing up for one of their biggest days, with the parade bringing an influx of visitors.
Also, there’s a new St. Patrick’s-themed challenge at Broad Axe Throwing.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Students showcased drones they built during a two-week summer camp at Augusta Regional Airport on Friday.
12 junior and high school students attended the camp, where they learned to fly and build drones designed to help others.
Anderson Puryear, a student, said the camp focused on delivering small medical supplies.
“It was focused on delivering small medical supplies like an EPI pen or glucose packet for like diabetics and for people with allergies in need in the real world that could obviously help save lives, and if people are like in a place in a boat or like in the desert or in the forest where they can’t easily access those supplies it can save their lives,” Puryear said.
The airport partnered with Georgia Tech, state troopers and the Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting Department for the Air Edu Summer Camp.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The 10th annual Juneteenth Augusta Festival brought families to the Augusta Fairgrounds on Friday despite the muggy heat.
Cultural and community-focused events, live music performances and food trucks were available at the celebration.
Tonia Hill, attending the Juneteenth celebration, said she loves the holiday and is supporting the community, though she acknowledged the weather conditions.
“I love Juneteenth. And I’m supporting everybody. It’s hot. It’s hot. It’s hot,” Hill said.
The festival runs until 10 p.m.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Augusta Dream Center is seeing more families turn to its food pantry this summer as children lose access to school lunches.
Organizations like the Augusta Dream Center see a surge in families who relied on school lunches during the academic year, according to Hallie Kohan, assistant director.
“We see a lot more families that have young kids who are in need that simply don’t have those meals they are normally getting,” Kohan said. “We see an influx of families that come through.”
Demand is up, but the food supply is not keeping pace.
“Right now we are having some food distribution issues so while we are seeing an increase in families, we are seeing a decrease in the amount of food coming through our doors,” Kohan said.
The center is asking the community to host food drives or donate kid-friendly items such as mac and cheese and oatmeal.
Every Sunday the Dream Center opens its doors for a hot meal, serving as many as 120 people.
“Families can come in and get their hot meal. They sit down, it’s dignified, it’s a diner,” Kohan said. “It’s a welcoming experience for kids to come in and not feel like they are in need.”
No paperwork is required to receive help.
“Just because you think someone is in a great situation, in today’s economy you never know,” Kohan said. “It could be your neighbor, mom, or best friend.”
The Augusta Dream Center food pantry is open Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to noon and Thursdays from 5 to 6 p.m. Hot meals are served Sundays from 5 to 6 p.m.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
-
Los Angeles, Ca52 minutes agoWoman, man found shot to death in Pomona, suspect leads officers on erratic chase
-
Detroit, MI1 hour agoToday in History: June 20, race-related rioting erupts in Detroit
-
San Francisco, CA1 hour agoSan Francisco hotels see steady World Cup business, but fall short of Super Bowl surge
-
Dallas, TX1 hour agoDallas International Piano Competition brings finalists June 23
-
Miami, FL2 hours agoWhere to watch San Francisco Giants vs Miami Marlins: TV channel, start time, streaming for June 20
-
Boston, MA2 hours agoDuck parades, outdoor drinking, and Gronk in a kilt. Here’s how Friday’s World Cup festivities unfolded. – The Boston Globe
-
Denver, CO2 hours agoRockies ride Kyle Freeland’s gem, Braxton Fulford’s double to 4-3 win over Pirates
-
Seattle, WA2 hours agoSuarez’s no-hit try ends on Naylor double in seventh, but Boston still tops Seattle
