On Sunday, March 17, the 27th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade began at noon in downtown Toronto. More than 70 groups and 2,000 individuals participated. This is the 7th consecutive year that the Tian Guo Band was invited to the celebration. An estimated 300,000 people lined the streets in the Beaches area of Toronto to watch the parade. The stirring performances of the band won enthusiastic applause from the spectators along the parade route.