Boston held its St. Patrick’s Day parade Sunday, an event Mayor Michelle Wu called one of the biggest events of the year for the city and an incredible day for bringing people together.
The South Boston St. Patrick's Day/Evacuation Day Parade was held Sunday and was broadcast live on NECN and its streaming platforms.
This year, the parade was back to its full route after being shortened last year in its return after the COVID pandemic. The parade is presented by the South Boston Allied War Veterans Council.
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The parade kicked off at Broadway Station and ends at Andrew Square. In past years, the parade has drawn upwards of a million spectators, and about 1 million were expected for 2023.
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How to watch the parade
You could watch the parade live on NECN, online at NECN.com or in the NECN app.
You could also stream the parade on Roku 140, Samsung 1035 and on Peacock and Xumo. Just look for NBC Boston News under the "Live TV" or "channels" options.
You could also watch the parade on TelemundoNuevaIngaterra.com, in the Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra app, or streaming on Roku 903.
Join NBC10 Boston's Colton Bradford, Priscilla Casper, Carla Rojo and Derek Zagami as they bring you the sights and sounds of one of the city's oldest celebrations.
Parade route
- Broadway Station marks the start of the parade
- Follow West Broadway to Perkins Square and continue onto East Broadway
- Follow East Broadway to P Street
- Turn right onto P Street and follow it to East Fourth Street
- Turn right onto East Fourth Street and follow it to K Street
- Turn left onto K Street and follow it until East Sixth Street
- Turn right onto East Sixth Street until G Street
- Turn left on G Street and follow it past the front entrance to Excel High School until the second right onto Thomas Park
- Take the second right onto Thomas Park and follow it to Telegraph Street
- Follow Telegraph Street to Dorchester Street
- Follow Dorchester Street to the parade’s end at Andrew Square
Best places to watch the parade in person
Parade organizers say the best places to watch depend greatly on what type of experience you're looking for.
If you're looking to watch the parade from one of the many restaurants along the route or to take in the parade with the crowds, Broadway, especially between Broadway Station and L Street, is a great place to be. But if you're looking to avoid the crowds, great options include Medal of Honor Park or Thomas Park, along with other streets on the route other than Broadway.
Our friends over at Caught in Southie say there's really not a bad spot to watch the parade anywhere along the route, but have several other suggestions should you want to stake out a spot. They've also got a great list of fun St. Patrick's Day events to check out in South Boston.
What's the best way to get there?
If you can, leave the car at home! The festivities can draw huge crowds of people to the city. Instead, try public transportation options. The route starts at the Broadway MBTA Station, making for easy access, but expect things to get busy!
The MBTA suggests buying your tickets ahead to avoid long lines at vending machines or ticket windows. Some types of fares can be purchased or reloaded online. Remember that commuter rail tickets are different than subway or bus rides. Remember, the MBTA prohibits the consumption of alcohol on its vehicles or in its stations.
Bluebikes, the public bike share system, are also an option. For more information on pricing and locations, click here.
Parking restrictions
The parade route will be closed to traffic from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Boston police released this list of parking restrictions:
- Dorchester Avenue, Both sides, from Gillette Park to Old Colony Avenue
- Both sides, from Dorchester Street to Damrell Street
- Foundry Street, Both sides, from Greenbaum Street to Dorchester Avenue
- West Second Street, Both sides, from Dorchester Avenue to A Street
- A Street, Both sides, from Binford Street to West Second Street
- Binford Street, Both sides, from A Street heading northwesterly to end at 45 Binford Street
- West Fourth Street, Both sides, from A Street to Dorchester Avenue
- West Broadway, Both sides, from Dorchester Avenue to Dorchester Street
- East Broadway, Both sides, from Dorchester Street to P Street
- P Street, Both sides, from East Broadway to East Fourth Street
- East Fourth Street, Both sides, from P Street to K Street
- K Street, Both sides, from East Fourth Street to East Fifth Street
- East Fifth Street, Both sides, from K Street to G Street
- G Street, Both sides, from East Fifth Street to #96 G Street
- Thomas Park, Both sides of southerly arm (opposite normal traffic flow), from G Street to Telegraph Street
- Telegraph Street, Both sides, from Thomas Park to Dorchester Street
- Dorchester Street, Both sides, from Telegraph Street to Dorchester Avenue
- E Street at West Broadway Street on the West Third Street side
- L Street at East Broadway on the East Third Street side.
- Old Colony Avenue at Dorchester Street on the inbound side
St. Patrick's Day breakfast
The annual St. Patrick's Day breakfast, hosted by state Sen. Nick Collins, was being held from 9 a.m. to noon at the Ironworkers Local 7 Union Hall.
It was streamed live on Boston Neighborhood Network at bnnmedia.org and broadcast live on WROL Irish Radio 100.3 FM and 950 AM. Caught in Southie will also be providing coverage on their Instagram account.
St. Patrick's Day Road Race
The road race begins on West Sixth Street at the Boys & Girls Club at 11 a.m. and ends at noon. There will be traffic delays along the route as runners make their way to the finish line.
But don't expect to show up on race day and run. Registration is already full.
Don't forget: Liquor stores, bars close early
Just a reminder that all liquor stores will close early at 4 p.m. on Sunday, and all bars and restaurants in South Boston must close their doors by 6:30 p.m., last call will take place at 7 p.m. and everyone must be out by 7:30 p.m.
Police stressed this week that public drinking is not allowed during the parade, and also issued a warning against spiked drinks.
