South Boston St. Patrick's Day Parade 2013 Holiday Event / Parade / Party Mar 17, 2013

In the films Good Will Hunting, The Town, and The Departed, Boston’s Irish neighborhoods play important characters as critical to the stories as Will Hunting, Doug MacRay, and Frank Costello. Sure, these movies are only based on fact, but their depictions of the Irish community in Boston hint at how important the subculture is to the city as a whole.

South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which takes place annually on March 17, celebrates Beantown’s Irish heritage with colorful floats, parade marchers from different city organizations, and various marching bands. The parade route begins at the Broadway T station and runs through the historic “Southie” (South Boston) neighborhood, finally ending at Andrew Square.

Bars and pubs along the parade route and across the city offer deals to celebrate one of Boston’s finest days, and Boston Beer Garden, STATS Bar & Grille, Ahmreins, and Sam Adams Beer Company are all hotspots on St. Patrick's Day. Other popular destinations that aren't along the parade route include The Black Rose, McGreevey's, and Grafton Street. 

The South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade is the city’s only parade on St. Paddy’s Day and has drawn large crowds since its inception in 1901. Tickets to the South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade are not necessary; you can watch the parade for free from anywhere along the route. The rowdy and diverse crowd includes everyone from college students back from spring break to young kids, parents, and old folks, so everyone fits in!

Don't miss one of the most authentic and enjoyable St. Patrick's Day parades in the U.S.