St Patricks Day Parade: New York City

 The St. Patrick's Day Parade is one of New York City's greatest traditions. This annual parade has been held for over 247 years in honor of the Patron Saint of Ireland and the Archdiocese of New York. Often regarded as the most popular parade in New York City, the Parade is the largest and most famous of the many parades held in the city each year.

The Parade starts at 44th Street at 11 am. The parade marches up Fifth Avenue past St. Patrick's Cathedral at 50th Street all the way up past the Metropolitan Museum of Art and American Irish Historical Society at 83rd Street to 86th Street, where the parade finishes around 4:30 - 5:00 pm

To this day, the St. Patrick's Day Parade remains true to its roots as a true marchers Parade by not allowing floats, automobiles and other commercial aspects in the Parade. Every year the Parade Committee hosts the 150,000- 250,000 marchers, along with many great bands; bagpipes, high school bands and the ever-present politicians in front of the approx 2 million spectators lining Fifth Avenue. The Parade is televised for four hours on WNBC Channel Four to over half a million households and was web streamed for the first time in 2008.