St. Patrick's Day 2013; NYC, Newark, Chicago, Boston Parade Info, Maps
St. Patrick's Day is Sunday March 17 and people will be able to celebrate the Irish holiday at a number of parades held throughout the country.
The New York City parade will start a day early on March 16 at 11 a.m. on 5th Avenue around 44th Street.
The parade will be led by the New York Army National Guard's 1st Battalion 69th infantry known as "The Fighting 69th," according to The Irish Central.
Some of the best viewing spots will be along the north end of the parade route with a map provided HERE.
The annual parade will end at 79th Street at around 2 or 3 p.m. with highlights such as performances by seventeen bands and a chance to see the 2013 parade queen, according to TimeOutChicago.
Chicago will also hold the parade on Saturday along with the annual green dyeing of the Chicago River.
The parade begins downtown at noon at the intersection of Balbo and Columbus. The route will continue north on Columbus Drive with some of the best view spots in front of Buckingham Fountain.
A map of the Chicago parade is available HERE.
Boston also takes St. Patrick's Day very seriously and this year is expected to be a real celebration with green-clad revelers on every block of the 3-mile route.
The parade begins on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the intersection of West Broadway and Dorchester Avenue in South Boston.
Some of the best viewing spots to see the floats and marching bands is along East or West Broadway, but get there early as crowds will gather quickly for the show.
The parade will continue down continues until it reaches its end at Dorchester Avenue.
A map of the parade route and schedule of events is available from The Boston Business Journal .
New Jersey residents also can celebrate the 78th St. Patrick's Day Parade that will kick off in Newark at 1 p.m. at the Prudential Center on Mulberry Street.
The city also uses the parade to imporve the community with dontations that go to a variety of Newark-based charities, according to NJ.com.
The New Jersey parade will end outside of the Newark Museum and Washington Park with a map available HERE.
The parades are only a part of the celebration that usually includes eating traditional Irish foods, green beer and plenty of Guinness to go around.
