Written by Nick Simard on 11.03.20
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Go out, walk up Fifth Avenue, and experience the sights and sounds of the biggest St. Patrick’s Day Parade in the world.
It’s unforgettably moving to see the young and old, the working people and all the civic associations, marching and playing their hearts out together, celebrating not only Irish heritage, but everyone that makes our city fabulous. Among 150,000 performers, the soul of the Parade is the sound of bagpipe troupes from the city and state police and fire brigades.
You’ll find plenty of space for clear viewing all along Fifth Avenue until the wrap-up point at East 79th Street.
And don’t worry! You can take the kids. The drinking is going on elsewhere during the parade—largely in the midtown pubs.
Most people start arriving at East 44th Street at 10:30 a.m., but don’t rush. The Parade won’t get moving until about 11 and it lasts until 5 p.m.
Be sure to accept a free brochure, describing this tradition that dates all the way back to 1762.
Mark your calendar. It happens on Saturday, March 16. (Note: If you’d rather not be among 2 million on-the-scene observers, you can see the whole Parade live on NBCNewYork.com, beginning at 11:00 a.m.)
St. Patrick must be the patron saint of merry-making!
Along the route, check out these gems where the celebrations will in in full swing all day:
Experience Trinity Pub in the Upper East Side on St. Paddy’s. Isn’t it grand? Come back! The bar lets customers do a little guest bartending on Thursdays.
Second Avenue on the Upper East Side is also home to Jack and Fanny’s, your neighborhood bar. Toast St. Patrick with a cocktail. The “Irish Cold Brew” will knock your green socks off.
For a traditional, local atmosphere, it’s Ryan’s Daughter. Check the second floor with its full bar, open for the holiday spillover crowd.
Doc Watson’s will be packed on Parade Day, as the bagpipe players come here after the wrap-up. A must-see and a must-hear!
Finnegan’s Wake is great for a casual atmosphere and a perfect pint. Not everyone wants a stout, but lager drinkers can still have a Guinness: the company’s Harp lager is here!
Or go a little further afield and hear the traditional ballads at Paddy Reilly’s. Pay your homage to McSorley’s, NYC’s oldest tavern, or try an Irish pub you’ve never been in before. Our top picks? Molly’s, established in 1960, and The Dead Rabbit, for mind-blowingly great cocktails.
Read More: You’ll Love Living on the Upper East Side of Manhattan
See the places dedicated to the Saint whose feast day this is.
Early risers can attend the ticketed St. Patrick’s Day Mass at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 16th, in the St. Patrick’s Cathedral. After mass, the congregation will head out to the grand Parade.
Maybe even try something different if friends or family are in town. For an admission fee, you can now explore the crypts beneath the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral in Soho, in the Catacombs by Candlelight Tour. Get tickets for the daily Catacombs tour at the kiosk at 32 Prince Street, open 10 – 4 every day.
Carlyle’s luxury properties in Midtown East and the Upper East Side are perfectly positioned for your Parade Day festivities. The name Carlyle is the word for castle in the language of ancient Ireland!
Topics: Holidays NYC , NYC Things to Do
