Everything You Want to Know About the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in NYC
The NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade is one of New York City’s most fun things to do if you happen to be in town on St. Patrick’s Day. It’s not only the largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the world (crazy), it’s also been around since the 1760s! It’s the one day of year that EVERYONE thinks they’re Irish, no matter what their origin. It’s arguably the best parade in New York and not to be missed! Yes, people get a little out of hand but it’s something every self-respecting New Yorker has to tick off her list at least once in her life. You won’t find any floats here but you can expect to see over 100,000 parade participants! So get ready for some Guinness and remember to pack your favorite green clothing to come celebrate!
The Parade takes place on March 17th every year unless it happens to fall on a Saturday, in which case it will be moved to the Saturday before. The parade starts at 11 a.m. and generally runs until about 2 or 3. If you want to get a good spot though you’ll have to head out early.
The parade route runs up 5th Avenue between about 44th and 79th streets. You don’t need tickets unless you’re trying to sit in the stands, which are located between 62nd and 64th streets. This is near where the judges sit. I recommend finding a spot above the grandstands if you want to avoid the masses.
If you go to the NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade you have to wear lots of green! The crazier the outfit the better! Just remember to bundle up because March temperatures are still usually pretty frigid!
If you’re looking to party just look for any Irish Pub. It gets pretty rowdy on 2nd Avenue in the 50s. There are also usually fun parties in the 20s and 30s on 2nd and 3rd Avenue On St. Patty’s day you can certainly start as early as you want and go as late as you want sans judgment.
Alcohol is prohibited at the parade and on the city streets. But there are plenty of bars to celebrate! Literally every Irish Pub in the city has a major party and usually a line out the door.
If you’re not in New York City or prefer to avoid the wild crowds you can watch the parade live on TV. Check your local listings.
When you’re in town, be sure to check out my posts about the Best New York City Food Experiences, Top 10 Things Tourists Must See in NYC as well as Top 10 Things to Do in NYC That Locals Love
About The Author
Katie
Katie is a luxury lifestyle expert. She runs luxury lifestyle sites, KatieLara.com and Smartypanties.com. But she's not only a luxury lifestyle blogger, she's also a freelance writer for The Huffington Post, Fodor's, Forbes, Pursuitist, Just Luxe and She Knows. She's also a professional photographer and her photos often appear alongside her writing.
