Going green this weekend isn’t about environmental policies — it’s about celebrating all things Irish as cities across the country mark St. Patrick’s Day with parades and festivals.
New York City begins its annual festivities on March 16 with what organizers call the largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade in the world. Marchers — including firefighters, police, military groups, cultural clubs and bands — step off at 11 a.m. and follow a mile-and-a-half route along Fifth Avenue. The procession unfolds steadily through the day, with the final groups expected to finish roughly five and a half hours after the start.
In Boston, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade starts at 1 p.m., heading east on West Broadway. The route crosses Dorchester Avenue onto East Broadway toward Pleasant Bay, then loops back along East 4th and East 5th streets to finish at the Andrew Square T station.
San Francisco’s long-standing celebration features more than 100 floats alongside Irish dancers and marching bands. The 162nd St. Patrick’s Day Parade begins at 11:30 a.m. on March 16 at the corner of Market and Second streets, proceeding along Market Street toward the Civic Center.
Chicago marks the holiday with a distinctive tradition: city crews use an eco-friendly vegetable dye to turn the Chicago River emerald green. This year’s river dyeing is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on March 16. Later that day the parade steps off at noon, running from the corner of Columbus and Balboa to Columbus and Monroe.
In New Orleans, St. Patrick’s Day is observed with multi-day festivities that culminate in a parade on March 17. The procession starts at noon in front of Rummel High School on Severn Avenue and travels along Severn to Metairie Road before continuing to the parish line, bringing music, pageantry and local tradition to the streets.