By Carol Tannenhauser
I’ll say one thing in favor of the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade to be held this Saturday morning, March 16: it’s on the Upper East Side. Still, by all accounts, travelers on both sides of and below Central Park will suffer its effects traffic-wise.
The parade is being held on Saturday even though St. Patrick’s Day falls on Sunday, “in order to observe the Sunday Sabbath,” organizers told The New York Times. “The organizers expect 150,000 marchers and two million spectators. State and local officials, including Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams, will take part,” The Times reported.
There are no street closures on the Upper West Side on Saturday, but many on the Upper East Side starting around 11 a.m. from East 43rd to East 79th streets, the main thoroughfare being Fifth Avenue, which is the parade route.
“This is a weekend to not even think of taking your car if you’re going to Manhattan,” Samuel Schwartz, who was the city traffic commissioner in the 1980s and is now a consultant, told The Times. “Stay on your own two feet or stay underground.”
For more information about specific street closures on Saturday, check out PIX11’s Guide to the 2024 parade.
To make matters worse … wait, let me rephrase that — these are joyous events after all. To add to the weekend’s festivities, the NYC Half Marathon with around 25,000 runners will take place on Sunday, March 17, bringing more street closures, this time including many on the Upper West Side. Again, check PIX11 for details — HERE.
The weekend forecast calls for mostly sunny skies on Saturday and Sunday, with temperatures around 60 degrees. For those who prefer to watch inside, the St. Patrick’s Day parade will be broadcast on NBC 4 New York at 11 a.m.
We wish everyone a happy and safe St. Patrick’s Day and parade, a good run, and smooth sailing around town.
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“This is a weekend to not even think of taking your car if you’re going to Manhattan” translation: “This is a weekend to not even think of going to Manhattan, and if you live in Manhattan, just stay inside.”
Say inside on this beautiful weekend?! Absolutely not, luckily for most Rag readers, we can enjoy the UWS on our own two feet .
Yeah!!!!
“…on Saturday even though St. Patrick’s Day falls on Sunday, ‘in order to observe the Sunday Sabbath,’ organizers told The New York Times.” In NYC? How demographically-exclusionary or truly unobservant can the “organizers” be?
“Demographically exclusionary?” It’s a Catholic holiday, buddy, and one of the least “exclusionary” ones ever. I don’t see any Irish or Catholics complaining about “cultural appropriation” when literally everyone takes part and celebrates with us. Good lord, what is the matter with people…
St. Patrick’s Day is a Christian holiday. How is this any different from Jews closing bagel shops on Saturday?
I guess Sam Schwartz did not consider people who rely on MTA buses – this will be chaos for bus riders.
The Sunday half-marathon is the worst as it includes the FDR drive.
A very tough weekend if you are having a baby and need to get to the hospital.
If you are sick and need to get to the hospital.
Or are having a wedding.
Or going to the airport.
Should we never have parades or marathons? Because it you need to get to the hospital to have a baby or because you are sick waiting until tomorrow isn’t an option. For those people scheduling events on consecutive days doesn’t matter.
For what it is worth I read the post as commentary – not suggesting ending parades etc?
No matter what is on the schedule, there’s always those who have a problem with whatever it is. Hey, we live in a big, busy city and being inconvenienced
once in a while is part of living here. Quit complaining and be careful crossing the street.