DC St. Patrick's Day Parade canceled for 2019

WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - DC's St. Patrick' Day Parade has been canceled for 2019, according to parade officials.

The St. Patrick's Parade Committee of Washington, DC stated that the increased government-related expense for security and street closures has forced them to cancel the 2019 parade.

"After the 2016 tragedy in Nice, France, the government of the District of Columbia has significantly increased preventative security requirements for public gatherings such as the St. Patrick's Parade. The corresponding rapid increase in overhead, in combination with relatively stagnant funding, have put the Committee in a precarious financial position," the committee wrote.

The committee said that some of the expenses were offset by a government grant, but while costs have increased over the past couple of years, the grant has not.

The non-profit committee, which is comprised of volunteers, said it would hold fundraisers in 2019 in hopes of hosting its 50th parade in 2020.