The 266th St. Patrick's Day Parade: Fifth Avenue, March 17, 2027

Thirty-five blocks, one avenue

How the day runs

1. EarlyPeople line up on Fifth Ave. The parade's FAQ puts it this way: best views to those who show up early. No start time for that, and no tickets.
2. 11amThe parade steps off from E 44th St, exactly on time. It always starts at 11am.
3. All afternoonBands, county societies and other groups walk north, with no floats. The order of the Irish county groups rotates every year.
4. About 4:30pmThe end of the line reaches E 79th St. The sun doesn't set until about 7:04pm.

That's more than five hours for 35 blocks, so there's no need to rush for a particular moment. Come when you can and stay for as long as you're enjoying it. About 150,000 people march, the organizers say, and about 2 million come to watch.

Where to stand

The parade's advice is simple: anywhere on Fifth Avenue is fine, and if you want to be right at the barrier, come early. So here's how we'd choose:

• In Midtown, E 44th to E 59th St. Towers on both sides, and St. Patrick's Cathedral at E 50th St. It's the classic picture, so we'd expect it to fill up first.
• Along the park, E 60th to E 79th St. Central Park fills the west side here, so it feels more open, with buildings only on the east side. It's also a longer way back to Midtown when you've had enough.

It's a Wednesday in 2027, so expect the usual working crowd around Midtown as well. And remember the restroom rule: by NYPD order there are no portable toilets on the route, so plan your day around that.

Grandstand tickets are by mail, really

The grandstands are first come, first served, and you ask by post. Send a letter and a self-addressed, stamped #10 envelope to NYC St Patrick's Parade, P.O. Box 295, Woodlawn Station, Bronx, NY 10470. It has to arrive by March 1, and without that envelope they won't answer. The grandstand has a dress code that says business casual and then asks you to dress as if you might meet a dignitary, because you could. Skip the large hats and beads. You can leave your seat, but you need your ticket to get back.

A very old parade

The first one was on March 17, 1762, 14 years before the Declaration of Independence. The organizers call it the oldest and largest St. Patrick's Day parade in the world. It has its own rules. If March 17 falls on a Sunday, it moves to the Saturday. It has no floats. And the organizers say it has not been cancelled for bad weather, having marched through “various examples of inclemency.”

The 2027 grand marshal is John Samuelsen, international president of the Transport Workers Union of America. More of the 2027 details will show up on the parade's site over the winter.

Which train, and the straight line home

Take the subway and get off a little before you need to. The E and M stop at 5 Av-53 St, the N, R and W at 5 Av-59 St, the B, D, F and M at 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Center, a block west of the avenue, and the 6 runs along Lexington, three avenues east. The parade's FAQ says traffic is detoured off Fifth from 44th to 79th Street and the side streets overflow, so walk rather than drive. Expect barricades along the avenue, and pick your side before you get there. The city posts the closures in its traffic advisory that week.

When you're finished, Hell's Kitchen is a straight line. Walk to W 48th St, and go west until you run out of avenues.

After the parade, tacos

Nothing on our menu is Irish, and after five hours on Fifth Avenue in March that may be the appeal. We're about 22 minutes west of the route on the same street, and the glass roof closes and the room is heated if it's still cold out.

A usual Wednesday here runs 5pm to 11pm (last reservation 10pm), with karaoke night, but we can't promise you a usual Wednesday on March 17 yet.

Any other week: Tuesday to Thursday 5pm to 11pm (last reservation 10pm), Friday 5pm to 3am, Saturday 12pm to 3am and Sunday 12pm to 9:30pm. Closed Mondays. Parties of 2 to 8 can book online. For 9 or more, your whole county society included, send a group request and we'll email you within one business day.