Enjoy These Six St. Patrick's Day Parades in March 2025

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Worcester St. Patrick's Parade

One of the most enjoyable rites of spring in New England are the St. Patrick’s Day parades that have taken place each March dating back to colonial times. In fact, the very first St. Patrick’s Day parade in the United States took place on March 17, 1737, when the newly-formed Charitable Irish Society formed a solemn procession from King’s Chapel on Tremont Street in downtown Boston.

Today the parades are more celebratory than solemn, an expression of Irish heritage and culture. And they are also beloved community events designed for everyone to enjoy. And they are free and open to the public.

What makes these parades so special are the volunteers, who put thousands of hours into raising funds to book bands and bagpipers, getting street permits, choosing grand marshals and inviting community leaders, celebrities and cherished individuals to participate.

Here are six parades you’ll want to check out this St. Patrick’s Day season.

Newport St. Patrick's Day Parade
Newport
Saturday, March 15
Held since 1956, the annual Newport St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Rhode Island takes place the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day. The two-hour parade starts at 11 a.m. at Newport City Hall, proceeds down Thames Street to Carroll Avenue and ends at St. Augustine’s Church. Newport native and Parade Committee Chairman Dennis P. Sullivan says the family-friendly parade is enjoyed by local residents and by visitors from across the region.

Abington St. Patrick's Day Parade
Abington
Sunday, March 16
Abington’s annual parade was launched in 1979 by the Bailey family, owners of Bailey’s Garage, and has become a favorite event in this town of 16,000 residents, a testament to civic pride, volunteerism a strong Irish community. This year’s parade starts at 1 p.m. in St. Patrick’s Square, and prizes are awarded for best float, best community spirit and best entry by a student group.

Scituate St. Patrick's Day Parade

Scituate
Sunday, March 16
The annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade is a family-oriented community event attracting spectators from greater Boston and the South Shore communities. The parade goes from First Parish Rd past Scituate Harbor and ends on Jericho Road. Volunteers hold fund-raising events during the year to hold the parade. On Saturday, March 15 at Noon, brave swimmers take the Annual St. Pat’s Plunge into the Atlantic Ocean from Humarock Beach.

South Boston St. Patrick's Day Parade

South Boston
Sunday, March 16
Since 1901, Boston’s parade has been celebrated in South Boston, a longtime Irish community dating back to the 19th century. Since 1948 the parade has been run by the South Boston Allied War Veterans Council. The parade serves as a double homage to Ireland’s patron saint, and also a celebration of Evacuation Day, when British troops were driven out of Boston on March 17, 1776. 

Worcester St. Patrick's Parade

Worcester
Sunday, March 16
The 43rd Annual Worcester St. Patrick's Parade attracts thousands of spectators from the cities and towns in Central Massachusetts. Led by this year’s Grand Marshal Kate McEvoy, the two-mile procession begins at Noon at Mill Street and Park Avenue and ends at Highland Street, taking about two hours. The family-fun parade is shown live on Spectrum TV channels 1 and 776 or streaming on the Spectrum News app.

Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade

Holyoke
Sunday, March 23
Established in 1952, the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day is considered one of the most festive Irish celebrations in the Northeast. This year’s parade starts at 11 a.m. and lasts about three hours. More than 400,000 spectators line the streets and another one million+ watch it live on local NBC affiliate, WWLP, or streaming onwwlp.com. The day before the parade, the 48th Annual St. Patrick’s 10k Road Race takes place on Saturday, March 22.

Find more information at https://irishboston.org/parades.php


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