New York The city got into a festive mood Tuesday morning as the St. Patrick’s Day Parade kicked off, filling Fifth Avenue with music, marching bands and cheering crowds.
The parade started on Fifth Avenue, headed uptown, past St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and ended at 79th Street. More than 150,000 people participate in the parade every year, and about 2 million spectators watch along the route.
The 2026 Grand Marshal is Robert James McCann, who serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Irish Arts Center and works to strengthen cultural and civic ties between Ireland and Ireland. us.
St. Patrick’s Day: Route and street closures
Several streets in Manhattan will be closed for the parade, including part of Fifth Avenue between 43rd and 79th Streets.
The forming area includes Vanderbilt Avenue between 43rd and 46th Streets, as well as nearby streets such as 44th Street, 45th Street, and 46th Street.
The parade route stretches along Fifth Avenue from 43rd Street to 79th Street.
The scattered area includes the portion of Fifth Avenue between 79th and 82nd Streets, as well as nearby streets such as 79th Street, 80th Street, 81st Street and 82nd Street.
St. Patrick’s Day: Traffic and travel updates
To celebrate the holiday, the MTA is changing some line numbers to shamrock-themed signs. Staff were also on hand to guide people and hand out stickers.
In order to ease the large crowds, both the Long Island Rail Road and Northern Railroad have added additional trains. No alcohol is allowed on these trains before 5 a.m. local time on Wednesday.
How to watch St. Patrick’s Day live stream
NBC 4 New York will broadcast the parade live. It is also available to stream on Roku, YouTube, Samsung TV Plus, Xumo, PlayCozi and other platforms, as well as Parade and NBC 4’s websites.
Weekend Today co-anchor Gus Rosendale will anchor the coverage along with Rana Novini, who hosts the station’s weekend newscasts. “Irish Caller Radio Show” host Treasa Goodwin-Smyth and ESPN football announcer Tommy Smyth will also be on hand.
Who will be participating in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade?
State and local leaders, including Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams, are expected to participate in the march. The NYPD will also be joined by its marching band and the Emerald Society, which celebrates Irish-American heritage.
Several high school and college marching bands will also participate, including the Xaverian Pipes and Drum Corps and the New York University Pipes and Drums Band. A pipe band from the Port Authority Police Emerald Society will also march along with representatives of Ireland’s national airline Aer Lingus.
