 2010 St. Patrick’s Day Guide
Savannah began celebrating St. Patrick's Day in 1813 with a private gathering of the Hibernian Society, a group of Irish Protestants. The first parade was five years later. Growing steadily in the 189 years since, Savannah now hosts the second largest St. Patrick's Day celebration in the United States, attracting over 300,000 visitors from around the world.
The City of Savannah hopes that this guide will provide important, need-to-know information during the festival. You'll find the parade route, important safety tips from the Savannah-Chatham Police, information on getting to and from downtown, how to become a street vendor and the latest guidelines on setting up to watch the parade.
This year the St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be held on Wednesday, March 17. As is tradition, the Parade begins at 10:15 a.m. following celebration of Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.
The parade begins at the corner of Gwinnett and Abercorn, and makes its way north on Abercorn to Broughton, where it turns east to East Broad Street. The parade turns north on E. Broad and then heads west on Bay, past City Hall, where it takes a left on Bull Street, ending at Harris Street.
Get St. Patrick’s breaking news on Twitter or Facebook
While St. Patrick’s Day is a wonderful celebration, it can be a disruption to downtown residents and businesses. In an effort to keep you informed about those disruptions, or any other changes, the City is using the tools of Facebook and Twitter in 2010.
If Police must close a road, we’ll send you a message to your computer or mobile device. If the service delivery schedule changes, we’ll let you know, 24 hours a day.
To receive these alerts, become a Fan of the City of Savannah on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cityofsavannah, or follow the City on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cityofsavannah. Registration on both sites is free.
Schedule of Events
The weekend of St. Patrick's Day is packed with events to celebrate the holiday. Join in the fun at Forsyth Park as the flowing clear waters become a sparkling emerald green, take in the traditional sights and sounds of the Tara Feis festival, and show up early to find a great spot along the parade route on Tuesday.
| Date/Time | Event | Location |
| Friday, March 12, Noon | Greening of the Fountain | Forsyth Park |
| Saturday, March 13, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. | Tara Feis | Emmet Park |
| Sunday, March 14, 1 p.m. | Celtic Cross Ceremony | Emmet Park |
| Tuesday, March 16, 4:30 p.m. | Jasper Green Ceremony | Madison Square |
| Wednesday, March 17, 8 a.m. | Saint Patrick's Day Mass | Cathedral of St. John the Baptist |
| Wednesday, March 17, 10:15 a.m. | Saint Patrick's Day Parade | See Parade Route |
Map of the Parade Route
The gray areas of the map are No Parking areas. Parking along the parade route is not permitted. All vehicles must be moved by 6 a.m. March 17:
(From the Savannah Morning News)
Map of portable toilets:
St. Patrick's Festival on Historic River Street March 16-17
The Savannah Waterfront Association hosts a festival along the waterfront, including River Street from East Broad Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Festivities include games, food, beverages, and live entertainment. The event is free, but attendees must purchase a wristband ($5) to consume alcoholic beverages on the plaza and inside River Street businesses Tuesday and Wednesday. Wristbands will be sold at kiosks distributed along the plaza, and at businesses on River Street.
River Street Information
River Street will be closed to traffic throughout the festival. The Parade Route will be closed to traffic beginning at 7 a.m. March 17, and lasting through 2 p.m. Bay Street will be closed during the Parade. Vehicles will not be allowed on Bay during these times.
City Market Information
Streets around City Market will be closed during these times:
· Friday, March 12th starting at 5 p.m.
· Saturday, March 13 starting at 2 p.m.
· Tuesday, March 16 starting at 5 p.m.
· Wednesday, March 17 starting at 2 p.m.
Please note, City Market closures included the following streets:
· Jefferson St. from Bay St. to Broughton
· Congress St. from MLK to Whitaker St.
· St. Julian St. from Montgomery to Whitaker
· Bryan St. from MLK to Whitaker St.
· Montgomery St. from Bay St. to Broughton
· Barnard St. from Bay St. to Broughton
Sanitation and Recycling
Please place your trash in litter baskets and recyclable items in recycling carts and bins place throughout the festival area and along the parade route. Recycling bins will be located at the west end of River Street and on the Abercorn Ramp. Recycling carts will be placed in the Hospitality Center, Rousakis Plaza and along the parade route.
Please use litter receptacles to dispose of all non- recyclable items. Cardboard can be recycled and can be stacked beside compactors located within the downtown area. Vendors and business please containerize your garbage properly, transport to and place in the nearest garbage compactor located throughout the downtown area.
More St. Patrick's Day information:
 Public Safety
 Guidelines for Parks and Squares
 Transportation and Parking
 Vendors and Downtown Businesses |