Boston St. Patrick's Day Parade 2026 | Route, Start Time & Best Places to Watch

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Dates:	Sunday, March 15, 2026 - Sunday, March 15, 2026
Hours:	Parade starts at 11:30am
Ages:	Toddlers, Kids, Teens, Adults
In/Outdoor:	Outdoor
Cost:	Free
Category:	Parades

boston st patrick's day parade 2026 route start time best places to watch photo

Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade 2026 – Route, Start Time & Best Places to Watch

Boston goes green for the annual South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade — one of the largest Irish heritage parades in the United States.

Colorful floats, marching bands, and pipe bands fill the streets of South Boston for this historic tradition, first held in 1901. Whether you want to experience the high-energy crowds along Broadway or find a more family-friendly viewing spot, here’s everything you need to know for 2026.

Monday, March 16, 2026
Start Time: 11:30am
Location: South Boston

What’s New for 2026
The parade route has changed this year. The procession will now begin at Andrew Square (instead of near Broadway Station) and follow a reversed route through South Boston in honor of the 250th anniversary of Evacuation Day.

NEW! Family-Friendly Zone

Medal of Honor Park (M Street) will serve as a designated family-friendly viewing area along the parade route in 2026.

Because the South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade draws large crowds each year, organizers are creating this space to provide a safe, welcoming environment for families and children.

The park - located at 775 East 1st Street - is a green space honoring local veterans and offers a more relaxed setting to enjoy the parade.

2026 Parade Route

- Departs Andrew Square and proceeds up Dorchester Street, turning onto Telegraph Street
- Continues onto Thomas Park and G Street
- Proceeds down East 6th Street to K Street and turns left
- At K Street and East 4th Street, turns right, passing the Thomas J. Fitzgerald VFW Post
- Continues along East 4th Street to P Street, passing the Michael J. Perkins American Legion Post
- Turns left onto P Street, then left again onto East Broadway
- Pauses at Medal of Honor Park for the Chief Marshal to lay a wreath at the nation’s first Vietnam Memorial
- Continues along East Broadway to West Broadway
- Ends at A Street and West Broadway

Best Places to Watch the South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade

- Andrew Square – See the kickoff; expect large crowds.
- Broadway (Andrew Square to Broadway T) – Classic, high-energy viewing.
- Broadway near Medal of Honor Park – Good sightlines and near the family-friendly zone.
- Thomas Park / Dorchester Heights – Elevated vantage point and slightly less crowded.
- East Broadway (L–P Streets area) – Festive atmosphere, typically more manageable than central Broadway.

Additional St. Patrick's Day Parades - 2026

Abington: Sunday, March 16, 2026 1:00 pm
Boston: Sunday, March 16, 2026, 11:30 am
Cape Cod/Yarmouth:Saturday, March 7, 2026, 11:00 am
Holyoke: Sunday, March 22, 2026, 11:10 am
Newport, RI: Saturday, March 14, 2026, 11:00 am (rain or shine)
New Haven, CT: Sunday, March 15, 2026, 1:30 pm
Manchester, NH: Parade canceled for 2026
Pawtucket, RI: Saturday, March 7, 2026, 12:00 pm
Providence, RI: Saturday, March 21, 2026, 12:00 pm
Scituate: Sunday, March 15, 2026, 1:00 pm
Worcester: Sunday, March 15, 2026, 12:00 pm
Dublin, Ireland: Tuesday, March 17, 2026, 12:00 pm

Places to Visit After the Parade

Stroll Boston's Irish Heritage Trail:
Boston is often called the capital of Irish America thanks to its deep and enduring Irish roots. The Irish Heritage Trail is a self-guided, three-mile walking tour (click for map) through downtown Boston, the North End, Beacon Hill, and Back Bay. Along the way, you’ll discover the stories of influential Irish politicians, artists, leaders, and war heroes who helped shape the city. (617) 696-9880.

JFK:
Find out about Boston & Ireland's favorite son at The JFK Library & Museum.

View Irish Events in Boston in March

Have fun, and remember to please drink responsibly.

For a list of Irish cultural activities as well as pubs and restaurants, gift shops, hotels, travel agencies and cultural groups, visit www.irishmassachusetts.com

Find more Boston events in March in our handy guide. You can stay in-the-know about family-friendly events in Boston all year round by subscribing to our free weekly events newsletter!

WEBSITE

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www.southbostonparade.org/

LOCATION

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Andrew Square, South Boston, MA map
Phone: 617 268-7955

TIPS

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Getting there, Parking/Towing & Road Closures
People attending the parade are strongly encouraged to walk, bike, or take public transit. The MBTA will run rush hour service on the Red Line from 10 AM – 6 PM.
Towing is expected to begin at 3AM.
Residents with a South Boston parking permit may park at the Marine Park Garage at 12 Drydock Ave for a reduced price. This will be offered from Saturday at 6 p.m. to Sunday at 8 p.m.
The Edgerley Family South Boston Club’s St. Patrick’s Day 5K Road Race is the same
day at 9:30am. The 5K race route starts at the South Boston Boys and Girls Club, proceeds West 6th Street to Dorchester Street, Dorchester Street to East Broadway, East Broadway all the way to the Farragut Statue across Farragut Road at Day Blvd where it turns around back onto East Broadway and continues across L Street to West Broadway,
then turns left onto E Street and left back onto West 6th and finishes back at the SBBGC.
Parking restrictions will be in place on the following streets:
Dorchester Avenue, Both sides, from Gillette Park to Old Colony Avenue
Dorchester 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 B 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 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
East First Street, North side, opposite M Street Park, from driveway out of the MBTA Bus Layover to driveway entering into the MBTA Bus Layover, in front of the dog park between N Street and M Street.
Damrell Street, Both sides, from Old Colony Avenue to Dorchester Avenue
West Sixth Street , Both sides, from F Street to Dorchester Street
F Street, Southeast side (odd side – Boys & Girls Club side), West Sixth Street to Bowen
Street
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
Events such as parades, road races, and street fairs may require road closures to accommodate the activities.

REVIEWS

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parade

thanks for the information and your right Southie is Gods little bit of Heaven on Earth

ELVIS Of BOSTON In South Boston Parade

Hope he's in the parade again. Got my picture taken with him and used it as my Christmas Card last year. Great photo opportunity for family, friends. Cost . . . Priceless!!!

Men Of St Patrick Clown Group March In Southie For 3rd Year

Under the cloudy skies of Boston our clown group of 40 men and kids were welcomed with open arms. We met people from all over the country and the parade was again a complete success. The amount of people was awesome again this year and we thank the people of South Boston and Wacko Hurly for the opportunity to be involved in such a special event. Thank you so very much for a wonderful experience!! Sincerely, The Men of St. Patrick Clowns St. Patrick Parish, Lawrence, MA

St Patrick's Parade

I went to the parade that year with my 41/2 old twins. I parked in Wellington and took the T to avoid traffic. I brought the stroller. THIS WAS A BIG MISTAKE! Even though the station was handicap accessable, the shear numbers of people made the elevator wait a good half hour. Some of the parade watchers use this celebration as a good chance to show how they can be drunk at 1pm on a Sunday afternoon. The worst part of the parade was when it started to snow and my girls had to use the bathroom. The police station was allowing people to use theirs, but no one else would. All in all I had a good time, and so did my girls. Everyone around the non-smoking area I stumbled over was really nice, the necklaces were cute, and we got about 100 green lollipops. I will wait until my girls are around ten to go again.

St Patrick's Day Parade-Boston

Hi Folks ' just to let you know that there will be 40 Police and firefighters from Dublin Airport marching in Boston on March 18th hope to see you all and that you all have a great day. Regards, Mick Russell.

St Patricks Day Parade

Every year My girlfriends and I sport are silliest Irish gear and head to Boston. All of us from Irish descent we look forward to our anual tradition to spread a little luck and Irish spirit. The Parad is great we can often be seen darting into the street to steal photo ops with some of the more original floats, characters and of course...Firefighters. This year will be our 5th year and our collection of stuff keeps growing!! Look for us making the most noise and having the most fun in Andrew square, stop by for a photo with the best looking leprechauns in Boston.!!!!!!!

Long Journey

Ten of us, members of the Bell Police Department flew out to Southie to march in the parade. I have seldom seen such hospitality and kindness. Special thanks to: Boston FD 37/18 South Boston VFW Post Neil Murphy of the Boston PD The Shamrock You will see us next year. God Bless! James Corcoran, Sergeant Bell Police Department

Great Day

The parade was great again this year! The bagpipe bands are the BEST!