The 2013 New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade Holiday Event / Parade Mar 16, 2013 11:00 am

The New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade is not only the largest St. Paddy’s parade in the entire world, it’s also the oldest, having been an annual NYC event since the 1760s. As in, since before the U.S. was even a country.

Held this year on the Saturday before St. Patrick’s, The New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade route extends for 1.5 miles down 5th Avenue in Manhattan. It usually takes five-hours for the entire parade procession to complete the route, and is always led by the 69th Infantry Regiment.

Following in tow, New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade marchers include bands, firefighters, military and police groups, social and cultural clubs, county associations, and more, all creating a procession line of more than 150,000 people.

The number of marchers alone is impressive, though this pales in comparison to the two million New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade spectators who routinely line 5th Avenue to watch everyone amble by.

If the parade is your main event, be sure to get up before dawn and head for the route to get a good spot or you’ll be standing for a long long time. If you’re mostly there for the citywide party, head for the bars in the 50s along 2nd Avenue for a celebration that goes late into the next morning. Try to get there as early as you can (some people even skip the parade all together) because by afternoon the bars will already have lines going out the door.

If you want to see the parade and let loose afterwards, opt for the bars in the 20s along 2nd and 3rd Avenue for shorter lines and fewer crowds. Whatever you do, remember to grab some food so you can power through until daybreak.