The 2023 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Rochester: What you need to know
The Tops Rochester St. Patrick’s Day Parade hits the streets of downtown Saturday, March 11.
The 2023 edition will be made up of 95 entries, 2,500 marchers, 10 bands, six Irish dance schools, fire trucks, floats and a little something extra.
“We have a Dixieland band that will be bringing up the rear,” said parade committee member Kate McBride. “We decided we wanted to do something so people could enjoy the parade right till the end,” hence the booking of a group called Not Like Other Guys Brass Band, made up of Eastman School of Music students.
St. Patrick’s Day parade route
The parade will start at 12:30 p.m. at East Avenue and Alexander Street, proceed to the Liberty Pole, then head west on Main Street, ending at Fitzhugh Street.
The route will close to vehicular traffic at noon and reopen around 3:30 p.m.
The following streets also will be closed during that time:
Union Street from Broad Street to Charlotte Street
Scio Street from Charlotte Street to East Avenue
Broadway from East Avenue to Broad Street
Chestnut Street from Broad Street to Main Street
North Clinton Avenue from Broad Street to Pleasant Street
St. Paul Street from Pleasant Street to Main Street
State Street from Andrews Street to Main Street
Exchange Boulevard from Broad Street to Main Street
Fitzhugh Street from Broad Street to Church Street
In addition, a number of side streets being used as staging areas will be closed to traffic from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
St. Patrick’s Day Grand Marshal
This year’s Grand Marshal isn’t a person but a group: Gates Keystone Club Police Pipes and Drums corps, founded in 1998 by members of the Gates Police Department.
Former 13WHAM news anchors Ginny Ryan and Doug Emblidge will serve as Honorary Marshals.
Leprechaun leading the parade
In the role of leprechaun, Luke Dowdell of Spencerport will lead the parade.
He is the successor to John Patrick Sullivan, who stepped down after the 2018 event, having been a parade fixture for nearly 30 years.
Celtic Family Faire
Following a three-year hiatus, the Celtic Family Faire will return to parade headquarters, the Hilton Garden Inn, 155 E. Main St. It will run from 1 to 4 p.m. and feature such family-friendly fare as Irish storytelling and dancing, jugglers and cupcake decorating.
“It’s a great thing for the wee ones,” McBride said. Admission is free, although donations will be accepted for Daystar Kids.
No alcohol will be served at the Faire. “But there will be lots of food and drink for purchase at the hotel,” she said.
St. Patrick’s Day parade parking
Free parking will be available all day in the Mortimer Street Garage, the Sister Cities Garage and the High Falls Garage.
Free parking will be available until 4 p.m. in the Washington Square Garage, the South Avenue Garage, the Court Street Garage and the East End Garage.
Metered street parking is free downtown on the weekends. However, it will be prohibited along the parade route and the Runnin’ of the Green course (more on that below) starting at 6 a.m. on Parade Day.
Restrooms at St. Patrick’s Day parade
Porta-potties will be set up along the parade route. A map of locations is posted at rochesterparade.com.
Runnin' of the Green in Rochester NY
This year, instead of beginning and ending in front of Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial, the 5-mile Runnin’ of the Green will start and end at Parcel 5 on Main Street.
Race time is 10:30 a.m., and participants will cover a course from Main Street to the University of Rochester River campus and back.
Main Street from North Clinton Avenue to East Avenue will be closed to vehicular traffic from 8 a.m. until around 3:30 p.m.
The following streets will be closed to traffic from 10 a.m. until around noon as the last runners move along the course:
Main Street from North Clinton Avenue to St. Paul Street
South Avenue from Main Street to Broad Street
Broad Street from South Avenue to Exchange Boulevard
Exchange Boulevard from Broad Street to Ford Street
Ford Street from Plymouth Avenue to Mt. Hope Avenue
Wilson Boulevard from Ford Street to Fraternity Road
Weather forecast for St. Patrick’s Day in Rochester
A lot could change between now and Saturday, but the trend forecast shows an area of high pressure building in from Canada toward the end of the week, which would mean temperatures in the low to mid-30s and dry conditions, said Tony Ansuini, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Buffalo.
More St. Patrick’s Day parade info
Go to rochesterparade.com.
Reporter Marcia Greenwood covers general assignments. Send story tips to mgreenwo@Gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @MarciaGreenwood
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Rochester NY: What you need to know
