What to know about local St. Patrick’s parades on Saturday
ALBANY — St. Patrick’s Day might be March 17, but the city’s official parade will be held this Saturday in downtown Albany.
The parade will kick off at 2 p.m. Saturday at Central Avenue and Quail Street.
It will proceed east on Central Avenue to Washington Avenue; then east on Washington Avenue to State Street where it will end around James Street and is expected to end by 4 p.m.
Starting at noon Saturday, Central Avenue between Manning Boulevard and Quail Street will be closed for the parade lineup. For a list of all road closures around the parade go to the city’s police alert system.
The yearly event, which returned last year after the pandemic, is organized by eight rotating committees that represent Irish roots throughout the city of Albany, town of Colonie, village of Menands and city of Watervliet.
In 2022, after the parade was delayed for three years due to COVID-19, city and county officials had some requests of attendees (which no doubt also apply in 2023): No open containers. Don’t litter. Take your trash out with you when you leave. And walk there, if possible.
But the Central Avenue parade isn’t the only St. Patrick’s Day event that day in Albany. The North Albany Limerick Parade will start earlier at 11:30 a.m. on North First Street west of North Pearl Street at the North Albany American Legion Post, 35 N. First Street.
That parade will proceed east to North Pearl Street, then south of North Pearl Street to Emmett Street.
The parade will continue east on Emmett Street to Broadway and then north on Broadway to Wolfert Avenue in the village of Menands. The parade will then return back to its starting location via North Pearl Street to North First Street.
The North Albany parade is expected to end around 1 p.m.
And that’s not all: Hoosick Falls also has a parade Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. from Wood Park in the Rensselaer County village.
It will start from Wood Park, head down Main, John, Church, Willard and back down Main. This year’s parade will feature The Taconic Pipe Band, The Yankee Doodle Band, The Vermont Field Crops Civil War Fyfe and Drums, The Fifes and Drums of Olde Saratoga and The Cambridge Band and many floats and marchers.
After the parade is the Irish Festival at the Hoosick Armory and other Hoosick Falls area locations. Local pubs and restaurants will feature food and entertainment.