Capital Region Association of Irish and Celts - formerly Hspdpa

The parade typically involves thousands of participants, as well as spectators and community leaders, who meet throughout a designated week in March to observe and honor our collective ethnic heritage. Although many assume that the parade is sponsored in whole or part by the City of Harrisburg, it is actually funded and organized entirely by CRAIC donors and volunteers. More importantly, CRAIC serves as a year-round resource for students, educators and parents that provides educational opportunities to engage in ongoing charitable, cultural, religious, historical, economic, and political issues of heritage in the central PA area. The various additional organized activities include guest lectures, dance demonstrations, community open-forums, discussion panels, and other educational instruction and training for the community in general. CRAIC also promotes a community effort that involves many spiritual events among the various and diverse congregations of our central PA communities. The intended effect of CRAIC's broad-based and ecumenical effort is to promote comity among the various neighborhood and community heritage groups, to eliminate prejudice and discrimination while advancing civil rights issues throughout our community. Please join us in our efforts to make Central PA communities a better place to live.