Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Saturday’s St. Patrick’s Day parade will start with a BANG!

“A Civil War re-enactment group brings a mortar cannon to the Seventh and Jefferson area, and they fire it off every year,” parade president James Clancy told the city council this week, adding that he gives emergency agencies a heads-up that there will likely be calls to 911.

“Our grand marshal this year is Court and Karen Conn of the Conn Hospitality. Their family has had hospitalities since Springfield started; way back when, a very long time ago.” Clancy added. “They are our grand marshals, and whenever we have a grand marshal, we ask them one question: who do you want to be this year’s charity? That’s how we decide who gets the money.”

Parade proceeds this year will go to the new My Heart’s Downtown organization.