In less than two days, Guinness will be pouring, floats will be rolling and nearly one million people will crowd the streets of South Boston. Irish or not – our city’s celebration of St. Patrick’s Day is practically unmatched. To this day it remains the second largest St. Paddy’s parade in the country, but given Boston’s strong Irish roots, that should come as no surprise.
Before you start planning your Sunday Funday in green, we’ve got all the deets you’ll need, below. Here’s everything you need to know about the South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade happening this Sunday, March 16.
Start time: The parade will officially start at 1 p.m. per usual, with all of the floats lined up by 11 a.m.
Route: For everything you need to know about the 2014 parade route, check out our detailed map here. It includes everything you need to know about where to watch this year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade. The parade will start on West Broadway and end on Dorchester Avenue.
Where to watch: Even if you’re not “watching” the parade, chances are you’ll be imbibing on Guinnesses along the route. And if you do, we recommend hitting up one of the numerous Southie bars – Irish or not. Some of these include: Shenannigans, Boston Beer Garden, Playwright, Amrheins, and Stats – among plenty of others. If you’re actually looking for a view and an outside lounging area, we recommend heading to Dorchester Heights Hill (Thomas Park) where you can sit on a picnic blanket and enjoy the parade.
MBTA: According to our post, it looks like the MBTA buses will stop making trips in and out of Broadway and Andrew Stations around 11 a.m. this Sunday. However, the Red Line service will still be available. You should also know that these six bus routes (below) will be diverted.
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Route 9: Service will not operate for the duration of the parade.
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Route 10: Service will begin and terminate at the South Bay Mall.
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Route 11: Service will not operate for the duration of the parade.
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Route 16: Connections can be made at the South Bay Mall and the lower level of JFK/UMass Station.
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Route 17: Connections can be made at Fields Corner Station and the lower level of JFK/UMass Station.
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Route 47: Service will begin and end on Albany Street at East Berkeley Street.
Where not to park: For a detailed list of where NOT to drive and where NOT to park, check out our tips and information on St. Patrick’s Day transportation.
Weather: Right now the weather forecast predicts a partly sunny/mostly cloudy (what’s the difference?) day with only a 10 percent chance of precipitation. But it will be on the chillier side with temps hovering around the 35 degree mark.
And if the St. Patrick’s Day parade just isn’t your thing, check out our list of other celebrations happening around town, here.
