Pittsburgh St. Patrick's Day Parade Guide 2018

PITTSBURGH, PA - Sure, the world’s largest potato will be trucked in and a new mascot will make its debut. But that’s hardly all you need to know about Pittsburgh’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade taking place Saturday.

First, though, the fun stuff: Appearing in the parade for the first time will be the Big Idaho Potato Truck, a 28-foot long vehicle that is used to transport a 6,000-pound potato sculpture. A half-baked idea? Certainly, but that’s because if the potato was real and you put it in the oven, it would take two years and nine months to bake.

Provided you find an oven large enough to hold it.

The parade also has a new mascot - Finn, a costumed Irish wolfhound. The mascot is named after Finn McCool, the legendary giants credited with creating Ireland’s giant causeway.

The parade also will pay tribute to a Pittsburgh legendary giant. This year’s event is dedicated to the late Steelers CEO Dan Rooney, who died last April.

Watch the parade live below:

Now then, here’s some pertinent information that will make it easier for you to get your green on:

• Downtown street closures will begin at 7:30 a.m. along the parade route, which includes Liberty Avenue, Grant Street, the Boulevard of the Allies and the parade's end at Stanwix Street. Streets will reopen at approximately 1 p.m.

• The parade will form on Liberty Avenue from 11th to 26th streets and begin at 10 a.m.

• Parking will be restricted along the parade route, including in the staging area and other locations reserved for bus parking and/or parade-related activities.

• During the parade, the St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee will once again host a family friendly event in Market Square from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• After the parade the Market Square Merchants Association will hold the "Irish Fair in the Square" event in Market Square, beginning at 1:00 p.m. Participating restaurants and bars can serve alcohol at their sidewalk cafes, and open containers will be allowed in the plaza space of Market Square between 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Market Square will be cleared of patrons by 6:00 p.m.

• Roads leading into Market Square will be closed to through traffic.

• Pittsburgh Public Safety personnel will be patrolling in Downtown and the South Side through the day and evening. There will be zero tolerance for driving while intoxicated or disorderly conduct.

• For South Side St. Patrick’s Day celebrants, the Second Avenue Parking Plaza will be open for 24 hours of free parking and free shuttle services from the lot to the South Side, beginning at 5 a.m. Saturday. Riders can find where the shuttles are located with the Real Time Shuttle Tracker at www.ssNiteRider.com.

• A new NiteRider shuttle stop has been added to the First Street Parking Garage and T Station, so visitors can ride the T, get off at First Avenue and ride the NiteRider directly to the activities on the South Side. Shuttles and shuttle stops will be marked with shamrocks.

• To facilitate traffic flow and emergency access to the neighborhood, no parking will be allowed in the public safety lane on East Carson Street between 12th and 17th streets starting at 4 a.m. March 17 until 4 a.m. March 18.

• South Side parking meters will be operating and enforced as normal on Saturday until midnight, as will the Residential Parking Permit areas.

• The Department of Public Works will be cleaning streets after the celebrations and will do their best to attend to trash cans during events, though that work may be impeded by heavy traffic.

Photo via the Big Idaho Potato Co.