Get your green on. Boston’s annual parade to mark St. Patricks Day and Evacuation Day is coming again to the streets of Southie.
This year also marks the 250th anniversary of Evacuation Day, when the Minutemen boxed in those pesky British troops, pushing them out of our city during the early days of the Revolutionary War. (Read up on the history, here.)
Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in Boston started even before that, with records dating back to 1737 of the local Irish community celebrating the patron saint of their homeland.
Here’s all you need to know about this year’s event:
When is it?
The parade steps off at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, March 15. It’s the second year organizers have set an earlier start time — aimed at reducing some of the “tomfoolery.” (More on that later.)
Where can I watch?
The route starts at Andrew Square and ends near the MBTA’s Broadway station. (Here’s the full route map.)
This year’s route is running in reverse from previous years and is meant to honor the 250th anniversary of the country. The parade follows the route that Revolutionary War hero Henry Knox took to move cannons to Dorchester Heights in Southie in 1776, leading to the Evacuation Day we celebrate today. (More on Henry Knox’s journey here.)
The parade won’t be live streamed, so you’ll have to be there to take it all in.
How do I get there?
Driving to the parade is definitely not recommended. (Parking in Southie on a good day is tough, let alone parade day). There are a host of parking restrictions in effect that day. The city has a full list here.
The MBTA is offering a free shuttle between South Station and South Boston between 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., and several Commuter Rail lines will have extra cars. The Red Line will run rush hour level service from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., but may bypass Broadway if there are heavy crowds.
Who organizes it?
The South Boston Allied War Veterans Council, a group of people elected from various Southie veterans groups. They’ve been in charge of the parade since 1947. The parade itself has been around since 1901 and features musicians, veterans groups, politicians and bagpipes, of course.
What’s this about all the drinking?
This is kind of what the parade’s been known for over the last several years. And each year organizers and politicians do their best to crack down on the debauchery.
To help curb alcohol consumption, package stores will close at 4 p.m. and bars and restaurants must stop admitting new patrons by 6:30 p.m. and clear out by 7:30 p.m.
In a letter to university presidents and school superintendents, local lawmakers said there would be “zero tolerance for the out-of-control behavior that the people of South Boston endured last year.” (That included unruly crowds, fights, overcrowded parties and public urination.)
The letter from U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn, state Sen. Nick Collins, and state Rep. David Biele said there will be a crackdown on underage drinking and fire officials will enforce roof deck capacity limits.
“We’ve already reached out to homeowners about what is expected during the parade, how residents should behave, how guests should behave,” Flynn said last week. “The Mardi Gras atmosphere is not going to be tolerated.”
If you’re looking to avoid the party atmosphere, there will be a new family-friendly zone along M Street near Southie’s Medal of Honor Park.
What if I want to take in the history rather than the Guinness?
A few days after the parade, on actual Evacuation Day March 17, there’s a commemoration of the first victory of Washington’s Continental Army. Reenactment units, a memorial Mass and procession up to Dorchester Heights are all on the schedule.
