Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day Parade 2024: What you need to know

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day Parade plans have been announced.

The parade will step off at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 16 in downtown Pittsburgh, rain, snow or shine.

Pittsburghers can enjoy over 20,000 participants including marching bands, Irish dancers, organizations and a host of local heritage groups.

The entire week will feature Irish heritage events in and around Pittsburgh.

Parade organizers suggest that the event be a catalyst for residents to explore Irish heritage.

The statute in place against consuming alcoholic beverages in public spaces will be enforced, as it has in years past. Those marching in the parade are not permitted to drink alcohol during that time, either.

Parade route

The parade will begin at the Greyhound Bus Station at the intersection of Liberty Avenue and 11th Street. Staging will take place from the bus station and away from downtown to 28th Street. The parade will proceed from the intersection of Liberty and Grant Streets on Grant to the Boulevard of the Allies, where it will turn right. Proceed on the Boulevard of the Allies to the end of the parade route at Commonwealth Place.

Family-friendly fun in Market Square

For the first time ever, the Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day Parade will host family-friendly activities immediately following the parade, including Irish dancing, musical performances and a petting zoo, all free of charge, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Performances will include dancers from the Shovlin Academy of Irish Dance, as well as the bands Abbots Cross and The Merry Blacksmiths, joining us from Donegal, Ireland.

Merchandise

This year’s official parade tee shirt features symbolism quintessential to the Irish, including a shamrock, a harp and the Trinity knot, with a blue accent color to represent the three rivers of Pittsburgh. Both long-sleeved and short-sleeved shirts are available at Definitely You in Brentwood. Proceeds will be directed to The Irish Society for Education & Charity, Inc., the nonprofit parent of the Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee.

The official parade button features an image of St. Brendan and a blue background to complement the official parade tee shirt. Parade buttons can be purchased on the parade website or from parade committee members listed on the parade website. Included in your button purchase is entry to the Annual Button Party, taking place on Friday, March 8 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at The Grand Hall at The Priory. Buttons can also be purchased at the doors of the Button Party.

Pre-parade Mass

Once again, on parade day, the parade will host a special pre-parade Roman Catholic Mass to be held at St. Patrick’s Church in the Strip District. Parade participants and the public are invited to join in prayer and communion at 8 a.m. on parade day as celebrations of the feast of St. Patrick begin by offering prayers of thanksgiving and prayers of peace throughout the world.

PRT bus detours

Nearly 50 Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus routes will be detoured. Some detours along the parade route will begin as early as 7 a.m. and continue through 5 p.m. Most detours will begin at 9 a.m. and will end when Pittsburgh police reopen streets around 2 p.m.

Riders will be able to disembark buses and transfer to light-rail cars at Station Square or Penn Station, and the bus and rail station along the Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway for free.

A free rail shuttle will run between Penn Station and Steel Plaza.

A complete list of the detours can be found at www.rideprt.org/stpats2024.

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