NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade 2017 Guide: Street Closures, Start Time, Parade Route

NEW YORK, NY — Today, members of New York City's Irish community will be celebrating their heritage during the annual Saint Patrick's Day Parade. But the parade doesn't just attract those with Irish roots. People from all over New York City and the surrounding suburbs will be flooding into Midtown Manhattan for one of the year's most festive and fun days of the young spring season.

The parade's organizers expect 150,000 people to march in this year's parade and 2 million people to spectate. First celebrated in 1762, New York City's St. Patrick's Day Parade is older than the United States and is the nation's longest-running celebration of St. Patrick's Day, according to parade organizers.

Whether or not you're looking to participate in this year's festivities or avoid them getting in the way of already laid plans — here's everything you need to know about the Saint Patrick's Day parade.

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Can' make it but still want to watch?

Don't worry, you're living in the age of live streaming. Starting at 11 a.m. NBC New York will be live streaming all the action from New York City's St. Patrick's Day parade.

What is the parade route?

The parade takes place on Fifth Avenue, starting in Midtown Manhattan and traveling north into the Upper East Side. The parade march will begin on East 44th Street and end on East 79th Street this year. Viewing grandstands for people with tickets will be set up on Fifth Avenue at East 62nd and 64th streets.

What time does the parade start and end?

The first group of marchers will kick off the parade at 11 a.m. The parade ends around 5 p.m., a perfect time to take the party to a nearby Irish pub for dinner and drinks.

How should you get there?

The subway will be the best way to get to the parade route. The 4/5/6/F/N/R/W/Q all stop on Lexington Avenue at various points along the parade route. The E/M trains also stops at Fifth Avenue and 53rd Street.

If you're coming into Penn Station from the Long Island Railroad you should catch the uptown E train at Penn Station to the Fifth Avenue and 53rd Street station.

If you're coming into Port Authority from New Jersey your should also catch an uptown E train from Port Authority to the Fifth Avenue and 53rd Street station.

If you're coming into Grand Central Station from the Metro-North Railroad you should catch an uptown 4/5/6 train and get off at any of these stations situation near the parade route: 51st Street, Lexington Avenue and 59th Street, 68th Street and 77th Street.

The MTA has banned alcohol on the Long Island Railroad and Metro-North Railroad for St. Patrick's Day.

How will the parade affect traffic?

Good luck driving in Midtown on Friday. The NYPD and Department of Transportation have not announced which exact streets will be closed off for traffic, but you can already assume Fifth Avenue between East 44th and 79th streets will be off limits during the parade.

The following streets will be closed off from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Friday:

• Vanderbilt Avenue between 43rd Street and 46th Street
• 43rd Street between Vanderbilt Avenue and 6th Avenue
• 44th Street between Vanderbilt Avenue and 6th Avenue
• 45th Street between Vanderbilt Avenue and 6th Avenue
• 46th Street between Vanderbilt Avenue and 6th Avenue
• 47th Street between Park Avenue and 6th Avenue
• 48th Street between Park Avenue and 6th Avenue
• 5th Avenue between 42nd Street and 44th Street
• 5th Avenue between 79th Street and 44th Street
• 5th Avenue between 86th Street and 79th Street
• 78th Street between Madison Avenue and 5th Avenue
• 79th Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
• 80th Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
• 81st Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
• 82nd Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
• 83rd Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
• 84th Street between Madison Avenue and 5th Avenue
• 85th Street between Madison Avenue and 5th Avenue
• Madison Avenue between East 78th Street and East 86th Street
• 62nd Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
• 63rd Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
• 64th Street between Park Avenue and 5th Avenue
• 72nd Street between Madison Avenue and 5th Avenue
• Madison Avenue between 63rd Street and 64th Street

Pedestrian traffic going across Fifth Avenue will also be somewhat restricted, meaning it will be harder to walk to Central Park from much of the East Side.

Pedestrians can cross Fifth Avenue at these intersections:

• 49th Street
• 50th Street (West only)
• 51st Street
• 54th Street
• 57th Street
• 58th Street
• 59th Street
• 60th Street
• 65th Street
• 66th Street
• 72nd Street
• 78th Street
• 80th Street
• 84th Street
• 85th Street

Any rules?

Those planning on attending the parade should follow these rules, via the parade's organizers:

• Green hats, beads and other “costume” dress are not permitted in the grandstands.
• No animals or mascots will be permitted along the parade route or in the stands.
• There is absolutely no consumption of alcohol permitted. This is not just our rule, it’s NYC law. Additionally, people displaying public drunkenness will be removed from the parade route by NYPD.
• Safety is our utmost concern. Please remember that all backpacks and large bags are subject to search by NYPD.

For more information, check out the parade organizers' website.

Photo by Dirk Olbertz via Flickr/Creative Commons