Bringing you everything you need to know before you go – the parade, parties, even parking!
First of all…
St. Patrick’s Day has grown to be Savannah’s biggest event of the year and one of the largest Irish celebrations in the nation, attracting hundreds of thousands to the Hostess City of the South.
200th Savannah St. Patrick’s Day Parade | Saturday, March 16th @ 10:15AM
Celebrating the Irish influence in America for 200 years! The parade kicks off Saturday, March 16 at 10:15AM, starting at the corner of Gwinnett and Abercorn streets, continues to Broughton, then East Broad Street, Bay Street, Bull Street and ends at the intersection of Harris Street. Click here for a map. Click here for photos from the 2022 parade.
John P. Forbes will be the grand marshal for the 2024 parade. His father, John J. Forbes, Jr., served as grand marshal for the 1998 parade.
While there are parking garages available, parking is limited and city officials ask that you plan your transportation well in advance and not risk getting a ticket. Try carpooling, public transit, bicycling or walking, if you’re close enough to the parade route or festival zone.
Also, don’t plan to park along the parade route the night before; your vehicle will be towed.
Multiple road closures will be in effect throughout the downtown area. You can see how bad traffic is backed up, and where, on our live traffic map.
Specific road closures will be announced closer to the time of the parade.
Yes! The Pooler Chamber of Commerce will offer shuttles from Tanger Outlets to Savannah. And you can catch a cruise from Hilton Head to Savannah.
Because the parade attracts so many people, finding the perfect vantage point can take some planning and patience.
Bleacher seats are available throughout the parade route.
Many stake out spots in the downtown squares, but you can’t be there overnight. Security guards will be out making sure the squares are empty starting Friday at 10 p.m. At 6 a.m. Saturday, the squares will become available for parade watchers on a first-come, first-serve basis. Here’s a list of ‘land rush’ rules to know and here’s what you’re not allowed to bring.
Open containers of alcohol will be allowed on St. Patrick’s Day, only, from River Street south to Victory Drive and the Truman Parkway west to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. See the map here.
Last year, the city had portable restrooms throughout the downtown area. It’s unclear at this time what the plans are for 2024.
In addition, restaurants will have restrooms available for paying customers.
The parade isn’t the only thing that draws a crowd. The annual Greening of the Fountain at Forsyth Park and Celtic Cross Mass are just a few of the other events that go hand in hand with St. Patrick’s Day season in Savannah. Click here for the full list and schedule.
Click here for the long range forecast.
You won’t have to look far to find a good time, as many venues, restaurants and bars will be putting their own spin on the celebration.
Here’s a list of scheduled bar crawls and festivities.
One of the larger events is the Plant Riverside District‘s Shamrocks & Shenanigans, featuring live music as well as activities and entertainment for all ages.
Want to stay the night? As of the first week of January, there were still many hotels with rooms available for the St. Patrick’s Day weekend, according to Kayak.com. Those in the downtown area, within walking distance of the parade route and to-go cup zone, range from about $500 to about $1,000 a night for a double occupancy room.
Violating just a few city ordinances could hit you hard in the wallet during St. Patrick’s Day weekend. Here are just a few things Savannah Police will be looking for, and how much they could cost you:
If you want to celebrate the day and weekend without the hustle and bustle of the Savannah crowds, there are several nearby cities holding their own festivities.
All information courtesy of WJCL