Will Boston St. Patrick's Day Parade Have to Move or Reschedule?

The St. Patrick's Day Parade is a South Boston ritual unlike any other.

"It's a Southie tradition," said South Boston resident Earl Doucette. "We all go there."

But the parade winds its way through neighborhood streets like K Street and P Street, and there is concern that with all the snow this year narrowing the roads, it would be nearly impossible this time around.

Spectators would have a hard time seeing all the action with the massive snow banks.

"The options are to change the route, maybe bring it in town," said Boston Mayor Marty Walsh. "It'll be difficult to have it in the neighborhood."

Possible options include shortening the route, changing the date or moving it out of South Boston.

The parade is scheduled for Sunday, March 15, and long time parade-goers like Bill Fitzgerald don't see it happening through the snow-clogged side streets.

"I can’t think how they could do it," said Fitzgerald, who's lived in South Boston for 79 years.

Parade organizer Brian Mahoney tells necn he and others are fighting to keep the traditional parade route through the neighborhood, and will press the mayor's office to clear more snow.

Changing the date, Mahoney says, would be a logistical nightmare because of the many in the parade who have committed to the 15th.

While some say keeping the route to main streets that are well-cleared like Broadway, many in the neighborhood are dead set against the parade moving out of Southie.

"Absolutely not. Unacceptable. Unacceptable. Because it's a South Boston tradition," said resident Jay Hosea. "The parade and South Boston are connected, you know what I mean? You can't separate them."

The mayor says he'll be meeting with parade organizers on Monday to discuss possible options.

Contact Us