One does not simply head into town on Paddy's Day without a plan.
St. Patrick's weekend is officially upon us and if you were planning on making the trip into Dublin to watch the parade, you're not alone. In fact, half a million people are expected to turn out to enjoy the annual spectacle so it's definitely worth making your way in early, having a rough idea of where you want to stand and of course, an exit strategy for when it all gets too much.
Luckily, we're here to help with all that - here are 4 tips for enjoying the St Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin.
Where to stand
Typically, the best places to stand for the parade are at the start of the route - anywhere from St Mary's Place down to Granby Row, or onto Parnell Square. Standing in these areas is preferable because parade performers are just getting started, full of festive energy.
Grandstands
If you really want to ensure a relatively unspoiled view, there's also the option to pay for a place on one of the St. Patrick's Festival Grand Stands - they're covered and tiered with allocated seating, strategically located at five different areas along the Parade route. Grandstand Hosts also provide lively commentary to guests, telling the story of the parade as it unfolds in front of you. If this sounds like the option for you, you can book a grandstand spot via the St. Patrick's Festival website.
Enjoy great views of the festivities from a grandstand. Via stpatricksfestival.ie
What to wear
This is Ireland, so it'll probably come as a shock to no one that we advise preparing to experience all four seasons in the space of about ten minutes. Unfortunately, Met Éireann has predicted wet weather across the country for St. Patrick's Day (good news for anyone hoping to catch a rainbow though), so bringing along a raincoat or water resistant jacket of some sort is definitely a great idea - we wouldn't recommend having an umbrella up while watching the parade, you'll obstruct other people's views and somebody will probably end up with a rib in the eye.
We also recommend a pair of runners or other sensible, comfy shoes - if they're waterproof, even better.
Wet conditions are forecast for the weekend. Image via Shutterstock.
Time management
The parade starts at 12pm and we recommend getting in nice and early to secure your spot - if you're taking public transport, allow yourself extra time incase buses or trains are too full and be mindful of road closures - you can see a list of all the closures scheduled for the weekend in Dublin here.
Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona daoibh, enjoy the festivities!
Header image via stpatricksfestival.com
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