Affectionately referred to as the "Southie" parade, this annual event is a must! If you're in the area the weekend before or during Saint Patrick's day then be sure to check out the South Boston Saint Patrick's Day Parade!

This is a FREE event held every year that is sure to entertain the whole family in historically the most Irish city in the United States. Many groups from across the country, and some from other countries come to participate in the parade.  There are floats, bag pipers, marching bands, cultural groups, historical groups, members of the armed and unarmed services, and more.

It always draws a large crowd so it is important to arrive early so that you can pick a good spot to watch along the parade route. Keep the large crowds in mind if you're planning to use the public transportation as the parade begins at the "Broadway" MBTA station (Red Line) and ends in the vicinity of the "Andrew" MBTA station (Red Line). The MBTA becomes VERY crowded as time draws closer to the start of the parade. It is not uncommon for escalators within these two stations to be shut down for the masses of people to exit to the street level for the parade and even when the parade ends.

Police patroling is increased during the event and along its route. This is to be expected given the size of the crowds that this type of event draws.

The weather also tends to still be chilly when standing outside for a long time around this time of the year so be prepared and dress warmly (warm socks, gloves, hats, scarves, jackets!)

Since Saint Patrick's Day is well-known for also being a "drinking holiday"... if you are from the 21+ age group be aware of the laws in the state of Massachusetts regarding alcohol consumption as ignorance of the law is not considered an excuse whether you are from the state or not.

For information regarding the upcoming parade date and start time you can check out their official site.
There is also a parade-route map available.
www.southieparade.org