About 2 million people will be at the St. Patrick’s Day parade on Saturday, when there will be hundreds of bagpipers, marching bands and green-clad revelers walking down Fifth Avenue.
It’s set to be a gorgeous day, so if you plan to head out, here’s what you should know.
When: Saturday, March 16, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
When to arrive: The annual ticketed mass at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral begins at 8:30 a.m. but to get a good spot for the parade, arrive as early as possible.
The route: It can be seen along Fifth Avenue, between 44th and 79th streets.
How to get there:
- Take the 42nd Street shuttle or the 4, 5, 6, 7 train to Grand Central at 42nd Street;
- Take the B, D, F, or M train to Bryant Park at 42nd Street;
- Take the N, Q, R, S, W, 1, 2, 3 or 7 train to the Times Square subway station at 42nd Street;
- Take the E or M train to 53rd Street/Fifth Avenue;
- Take the 4, 5 or 6 train on the Lexington Avenue line to 42nd, 51st, 59th, 68th or 77th streets and walk east to Fifth Avenue;
- If you drive, there are many street closures to be aware of.
Weather forecast: The weather is supposed to be beautiful — sunny with a high of 52, according to the National Weather Service. Bring a light coat or jacket and sunglasses.
The grand marshal is Brian J. O’Dwyer
O’Dwyer, a lawyer and lobbyist, is a senior partner at O’Dwyer & Bernstein, a law firm founded by his late father, Paul O’Dwyer. The firm does work in personal injury, immigration rights, labor relations, disability rights and general commercial litigation. He also founded the Emerald Isle Immigration Center, which helps Irish people as they immigrate to New York City, according to the parade’s website.
Where to watch it if you can’t get there: NBCNewYork.com will stream the parade starting at 11 a.m.
Find out more about the parade’s beginnings and history in "Secrets of the St. Patrick’s Day parade in NYC."
Where to go afterward: Many of the city’s bars and restaurants are celebrating with traditional Irish menus and drink specials and some will even have traditional Irish music that will play through the evening.
If you want to stay in Manhattan, head to Grace’s, a pub that takes cues from the pubs of old Ireland, and will have an Irish breakfast brunch, soda bread, beef stew and Guinness served at the perfect temperature.
If you’re looking for green-colored food and drink, more traditional cuisine, or a pub crawl, maybe one of these parties will do.
And if you’re headed to Queens, stop in Astoria, or "mini Ireland," where there are more than 20 Irish pubs, from über traditional eateries to bars with upscale twists, to joints of the more Irish-American variety.
