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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attends Montreal’s iconic St. Patrick’s Day parade

Click to play video: 'Montreal awash in sea of green for annual St. Patrick’s Day parade'
Montreal awash in sea of green for annual St. Patrick’s Day parade
WATCH: Montreal awash in sea of green for annual St. Patrick’s Day parade – Mar 19, 2017

Montreal’s St. Patrick’s Day parade hardly needs an introduction. After all, it’s been a Montreal mainstay for 194 years.

It’s not only the oldest St. Patrick’s Day parade in North America, it’s also touted as one of the biggest.

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The grand affair, organized by the United Irish Societies of Montreal, kicked off at noon, at the corner of Fort and Ste-Catherine streets.

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Heading the parade was Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre, who was chosen as this year’s Grand Marshall.

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also made an appearance.

READ MORE: 8 Irish phrases to help you get around on St. Patrick’s Day

The procession featured 20 floats and hundreds of groups representing the different Montreal communities.

WATCH BELOW: Just having fun at Montreal’s St. Paddy’s Day parade

Click to play video: 'Montreal celebrates St. Patrick’s Day'
Montreal celebrates St. Patrick’s Day

In this hockey-crazy town, a parade wouldn’t be complete without some fabulous hockey players marching along.

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The Clarkson Cup champions Montreal Canadiennes women’s hockey team took part in the festivities, as did a special group of young hockey players from Ireland.

WATCH BELOW: Clarkson Cup champs Les Canadiennes to have float at St. Patrick’s Day parade

Click to play video: 'St Patrick’s Day president and parade director'
St Patrick’s Day president and parade director

The youth make up a team called the Flying Ducks and were invited to take part in the parade to highlight the need for better training facilities in the Republic of Ireland.

PHOTO GALLERY: 2017 Montreal St. Patrick’s Day parade

Some 750, 000 people were expected to gather in downtown Montreal to take in the show.

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If you’ve never seen the sea of floats amble by, this Sunday might have been the perfect day to take it all in with Environment Canada predicting a balmy 2 C.

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