Pittsburgh St. Patrick's Day Parade Guide 2019

PITTSBURGH, PA - This is no blarney: Plans are being finalized for the nation’s second largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which will be held Downtown on March 16.

This year’s event is expected to involve approximately 23,000 participants, with over 200 marching units and nearly 20 marching bands. Irish heritage and other ethnic heritage organizations will be represented and expect the usual assortment of elected officials to march. Also expect the 2019 winner of the annual Miss Smiling Irish Eyes competition to be prominently featured.

The parade begins as usual at 10 a.m. and should take about three hours. The route is the same as last year, beginning at the intersection of Liberty Avenue and 11th Street to Grant Street to the Boulevard of the Allies. Marchers then will turn right onto the boulevard and proceed to the reviewing stand at Stanwix Street before ending at Commonwealth Place.

The staging area will be from the Greyhound bus station down Liberty to 26th Street.

Road closures will begin along the parade route and staging areas at 7:30 a.m. Streets will reopen at approximately 1 p.m.After the parade,

The Irish Society for Education & Charity, Inc., which organizes the parade, will host a family-friendly celebration in Market Square from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Open containers of alcohol will not be permitted. Businesses on the square will serve alcohol as usual, but patrons cannot leave the businesses with drinks.

“Please remember there will be zero tolerance for disruptive and illegal behavior,” Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich said. “Liquor Control Enforcement agents will be undercover to assure that bars and restaurants don’t serve alcohol to those under 21. Underage drinking, fake IDs, alcohol poisoning, DUIs, falls from roofs and balconies are some of the illegal and dangerous behavior we’ve seen on St. Patrick’s Day. We want everyone to enjoy the celebrations, but to do so in a safe and responsible manner.”