Visitors travel to Savannah for this exciting holiday to see the infamous southern city on its most celebratory day. With a parade that lasts several hours and Irish spirit in the air, who could resist?
Pre-Event Fun
Throughout March and leading up to St. Patrick's Day, various events will be ongoing in Savannah and the surrounding area. The "greening" of the Forsyth Park fountain is typically scheduled for the early part of March and is followed by the Irish Heritage Dance, Tara Feis and the Tybee Island parade, which are all opportune events to get into the Irish spirit before St. Patrick's Day. For a complete and detailed schedule of pre-holiday events, visit the St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee Web site.
St. Patrick's Day
For a first-timer who has never experienced downtown Savannah and the grand parade on St. Patrick's Day, be prepared for crowds aplenty decked out in Irish green. Many begin consuming green beer even in the early hours of the day and while walking around downtown because of a much-appreciated rule that alcohol may be consumed outside of a bar or restaurant if contained in a cup, not the original bottle or can.
If the parade is the main attraction for you, be prepared to stand or come early and bring a lawn chair to sit along the parade route because it's been known to last for several hours. Pick a spot and enjoy all of the Irish-loving music and elaborately decorated floats.
Savannah takes great pride in producing an exciting St. Patrick's Day parade and has done so since 1813. For information on the exact parade route, visit the St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee Web site.
After the Parade -- Information, Tips
River Street is typically full of people celebrating the Irish, usually until the sun goes down and even late into the night. Crowds collect on River Street to enjoy post-parade festivities at the numerous bars, restaurants and shops.
For those who are visiting Savannah from out of town and want to enjoy the post-parade, consider transportation options and hotel accommodations that are as close as possible to areas around town that are the most easy to navigate on foot. Driving isn't much of a possibility throughout all of downtown because much of the area is closed to traffic due to the parade and festivities.
Finding a hotel may be difficult if you're planning to wait and make a last minute reservation, but get on a waiting list if one is available. If your hotel isn't located downtown or within walking distance, there are other options to travel to the festivities, such as catching a shuttle bus at the Oglethorpe Mall on Abercorn Street. Several lots close to downtown will also offer parking for a price as well.
For this St. Patrick's Day, come enjoy the city and all the fun it has to offer on this Irish holiday. If you can't make it to Savannah to celebrate, try out some Irish-inspired recipes at home this holiday.
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