Rahul Somvanshi
The South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade switched things up this year with an 11:30 a.m. start time on Sunday, March 16 – a full hour and a half earlier than usual. This change came as a part of a larger effort to address safety concerns and restore the family-friendly spirit of this long-standing tradition.
City Councilor Ed Flynn told NBC Boston, “Last year at the parade, it was an embarrassment, with the level of drinking and violence”. Flynn, who serves as the parade’s general chairman, has spent the past year leading a task force to improve safety and the overall experience.
Zero-Tolerance Policy Takes Center Stage
The task force – which included South Boston’s elected officials, the South Boston Allied Veterans War Council, and various city and state agencies – implemented a zero-tolerance policy for public drinking, violence, and property damage.
Flynn had been clear about the stakes, “If it gets out of hand, then I’m willing to move the parade out of South Boston. I’d rather have no parade than have that type of embarrassment happen again.”
This ultimatum sparked reactions from locals. South Boston resident Joe Cook responded with a playful, “No, nay, never! No, that won’t happen. Always in Southie.”
Safety Measures Despite Police Shortages
One challenge this year’s parade faced is Boston’s current shortage of approximately 130 police officers. Despite this, Flynn expressed confidence in their ability to manage the event through collaboration with neighboring jurisdictions, including Massachusetts State Police and MBTA Transit Police.
“It’s going to take all of us together to ensure we have a safe parade,” Flynn stated.
State Senator Nick Collins echoed these concerns, telling the Dorchester Reporter, “The parade will be starting earlier this year in an attempt to get a better handle on the tomfoolery. Last year, there were regrettable moments at the parade that we don’t want to see repeated this time around.”
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Honoring Evacuation Day and Veterans
A key focus for organizers was returning the parade to its roots as both a St. Patrick’s Day celebration and a commemoration of Evacuation Day, which marks the British evacuation of Boston in 1776.
“I have made it a priority to ensure that the focus of the parade returns to Evacuation Day and honoring our veterans, military families, first responders, as well as our proud immigrant
history and families that came to our city in search of a better life,” Flynn explained.
This dual purpose added historical depth to the festivities, with this year’s chief marshal, Allana Devlin Ball, a South Boston native and retired U.S. Navy lieutenant commander.
The Full Day’s Schedule
The traditional St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast kicked off the day’s events at 9 a.m., hosted by Senator Collins. The breakfast was televised on NECN, NESN, and BNN-TV, and broadcasted on radio at 9:50 AM.Special guests included various elected officials, military personnel, and Peter Burke, the Irish Minister for Enterprise, Tourism, and Employment. With Boston’s mayoral race underway, Collins noted “the mayoral race is on everyone’s mind” and that it will likely be a source of good-natured ribbing during the breakfast.
Following the breakfast, the parade took its traditional route. Starting from Broadway Station it proceeded up West Broadway, continued onto East Broadway, turn right onto P Street and again on the right onto East 4th Street, then left onto K Street, right onto East 5th Street, left onto G Street, remained to the left of South Boston High School, then moved onto Thomas Park, left onto Telegraph Street, and left again onto Dorchester Heights, and finally concluded at Andrew Square.
Community Involvement and Expectations
The task force had been actively engaging with local businesses and schools throughout the state, reminding students about the zero-tolerance policy in Boston.
Flynn stressed the importance of mutual respect, stating, “I expect all visitors to respect the rule of law and act accordingly. It is critical that we ensure a family-friendly event to honor our veterans and military families.”
For those who attended, the earlier start time required schedule adjustments, but it also provided an opportunity to experience this Boston tradition in its intended spirit – as a celebration of heritage, history, and community pride.
Whether you’re a South Boston local or a visitor, the message from the organizers was clear: come for the celebration, respect the community, and keep the focus on the parade’s true purpose of honoring both Irish heritage and Boston’s revolutionary history.
Frequently Asked Questions
The South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade starts at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, March 16. This is a change from previous years, as the parade now begins 1.5 hours earlier than the traditional 1:00 p.m. start time. The earlier start is part of new safety measures implemented by organizers.
The parade begins at Broadway Station and follows this route: up West Broadway, onto East Broadway, right onto P Street, right onto East 4th Street, left onto K Street, right onto East 5th Street, left onto G Street, past South Boston High School, onto Thomas Park, left onto Telegraph Street, left onto Dorchester Heights, and concludes at Andrew Square.
Changes to the parade, including the earlier start time, were implemented to address safety concerns following incidents at last year’s event. City Councilor Ed Flynn described last year’s parade as “an embarrassment, with the level of drinking and violence.” A task force was formed to restore the family-friendly nature of the parade and implement a zero-tolerance policy for public drinking, violence, and property damage.
Before the parade, there’s the traditional St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast starting at 9 a.m., hosted by Senator Nick Collins. The breakfast is televised on NECN, NESN, and BNN-TV, and broadcasted on radio at 9:50 AM. Special guests include elected officials, military personnel, and Peter Burke, the Irish Minister for Enterprise, Tourism, and Employment.
No, there is a zero-tolerance policy for public drinking at the parade. This policy has been strongly emphasized by organizers, with City Councilor Flynn stating he would rather “have no parade than have that type of embarrassment happen again.” Local authorities are enforcing these rules to ensure a family-friendly event.
Evacuation Day commemorates the British evacuation of Boston in 1776 during the American Revolutionary War. The parade serves a dual purpose of celebrating both St. Patrick’s Day and Evacuation Day, honoring veterans, military families, first responders, and Boston’s immigrant history. This year’s chief marshal is Allana Devlin Ball, a South Boston native and retired U.S. Navy lieutenant commander, highlighting this connection.
