St. Pat's Day: Downtown and Dogtown Schedules, Traffic, Parking

ST. LOUIS, MO — The annual St. Patrick's Day parade through the city's traditionally Irish Dogtown neighborhood is starting earlier this year, at 10 a.m. That's to make sure police can effectively protect both it and the city's official St. Patrick's Day parade downtown, which starts later than usual this year at 1 p.m. Can't decide which you want to go to? Here's some information that may allow you to do both.

Dogtown: Ancient Order of Hibernians St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival
Starts at 10 a.m. Saturday morning and runs along Tamm Ave., from Oakland to Manchester avenues. Police will be stationed at checkpoints and coolers and backpacks won't be permitted. After the parade, Dogtown will also hold an Irish Festival featuring crafts, food, and music until 6 p.m.

Here's more information on road closures and security measures. And here's where to find the taxi/Uber staging area or rides to and from the festival.

From Metro:

The #90 Hampton serves Hampton Avenue and the #59 Dogtown serves Oakland Avenue, both just a couple blocks east of Tamm Avenue.

Please note the #31 Chouteau and #59 Dogtown will have detours on Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m., due to St. Patrick’s Day activities.

Downtown: St. Louis' 49th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Run and Parade

The 40th Annual St Patrick’s Day Parade Run will take place on Saturday at 9 am. One of the largest events of its kind in the St. Louis area, with more than 8,000 participants, the 5-mile run travels the streets of downtown and midtown St. Louis. Registration on March 16th is $39. Run-day registration is $45. You can register here.

The parade following the run will include over 120 units, including marching bands, floats, huge cartoon-character balloons, more than 5,000 marchers, and lots of clowns.

The parade runs along Market Street, from 20th Street to South Broadway, then turns south and continues on to Clark Ave. A Leprechaun Village area for children will also open in Aloe Plaza at 9 a.m. with bounce houses, caricature artists, Irish dancing and visiting superheroes.

From Metro:

Park for free at any one of 21 Metro Park-Ride lots in Missouri or Illinois, and take MetroLink to one of four MetroLink stations near the festivities.

The Stadium and 8th & Pine MetroLink Stations are both a few blocks from the St. Patrick’s Day Run starting line, and the Union Station, Civic Center, Stadium and 8th & Pine Stations are all within two to three blocks of the Market Street parade route.

MetroBus is also a great option for getting to the parade downtown on March 17. Ride on any one of more than 15 MetroBus routes to the Civic Center Transit Center, and walk a couple blocks north to the parade route on Market Street.

To plan your trip to St. Patrick’s Day parade festivities in downtown St. Louis or in Dogtown, download the Metro On the Go app to your mobile device, use the schedules or online Trip Planner, or contact Metro Transit Information at 314-231-2345 or 618-271-2345, available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Street closures in St. Louis to accommodate St. Patrick’s Day festivities on March 17, will affect the operations of 16 MetroBus routes, and riders should allow extra time for their commutes. The affected MetroBus routes include:

• #4 Natural Bridge
• #8 Bates-Morganford
• #10 Gravois-Lindell
• #11 Chippewa
• #19 St. Louis Avenue
• #20 South Broadway
• #30 Arsenal
• #31 Chouteau
• #32 ML King
• #40 North Broadway
• #41 Lee
• #59 Dogtown
• #74 Florissant
• #94 Page
• #97 Delmar
• #96 Market Street Shuttle
• #99 Downtown Trolley

Before planning their trips on Metro Transit, check the Rider Alerts section for specific details of each reroute, or contact Metro Transit Information.

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