What to know about 2026 Philadelphia St. Patrick's Day Parade: road closures, route and more

The Philadelphia St. Patrick's Day Parade, a tradition since 1771, returns to Market Street Sunday morning, bringing Irish music, dancing and more to the city. 

With the country's semiquincentennial coming up, this year's parade commemorates 250 years of Irish contributions and culture in the United States.

Former CBS Philadelphia anchor Jim Donovan is a member of this year's Ring of Honor for the parade, and chief investigative reporter Joe Holden will host the broadcast.

When and where is the Philadelphia St. Patrick's Day Parade in 2026?

The St. Patrick's Day Parade begins at 11:15 a.m. Sunday in Center City.

The parade begins at 16th Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard, proceeds through the historic Independence Mall area, and concludes at Front Street. The main performance area and grandstands will be located at 5th and Market streets. The parade is scheduled to conclude at 3 p.m.

Irish dancers, marching bands and cultural organizations from around the region are set to march and perform in the parade.

The parade is rain or shine, according to the city.

How to watch the parade

The St. Patrick's Day Parade will be broadcast live on Philly 57 from noon to 3 p.m. and will also stream live at that time on CBS News Philadelphia. 

You can watch an encore of the broadcast on Tuesday from 9 a.m. until noon on CBS Philadelphia or streaming in the CBS News app, Paramount+, Pluto TV or wherever you stream CBS News Philadelphia.

Road closures for St. Patrick's Day Parade

The following streets will be closed starting at 5:30 a.m. until approximately 4 p.m. on Sunday:

• Market Street between 6th Street and 5th Street

The following streets will be closed starting at 9 a.m. until approximately 3:30 p.m. Sunday:

• John F. Kennedy Boulevard between 20th and 15th streets
• 20th Street between Market and Arch streets
• 19th Street between Market and Arch streets
• 18th Street between Market and Arch streets
• 17th Street between Market and Arch streets
• 16th Street between Market and Arch streets
• 15th Street between Market and Arch streets

The following streets will be closed starting at 10:30 a.m.(or earlier, depending on traffic conditions) until approximately 3:30 p.m. on Sunday: 

• John F. Kennedy Boulevard between 15th and Juniper streets
• Juniper Street between John F. Kennedy Boulevard and Market Street
• Market Street between Juniper and 2nd streets
• All cross streets on Market Street from 13th to 5th Street, between Chestnut and Arch streets

Parking restrictions for St. Patrick's Day Parade

The following streets will be posted as temporary no-parking zones from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday:

•  1400-2000 block of John F. Kennedy Boulevard

The following streets will be posted as "Temporary No Parking" zones from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday:

• 5th Street between Chestnut and Market streets
• 6th Street between Chestnut and Race streets
• Race Street between 5th and 6th streets
• Market Street from Juniper to 2nd streets

Vehicles parked in these locations during posted hours will be relocated. If you believe your car has been relocated, call the police district of the area where your car was parked.

Public transportation changes for St. Patrick's Day Parade

People headed to the parade are encouraged to use public transportation to get there. You can get to Market Street using any trolley or by exiting at City Hall Station, served by both the Broad Street Line and the Market-Frankford Line. Use plan.septa.org to plan your trip.

Riders taking PATCO into Philadelphia from New Jersey can take the Market-Frankford Line to travel to the St. Patrick's Day Parade. Exit PATCO at 8th/Market Street Station, then take the escalator or stairs to the concourse level and exit PATCO's fare gates. Follow the blue signs approximately one block through the concourse to the Market-Frankford Line.

The following SEPTA Bus Routes will be detoured from their normal routes through the Center City area and Old City from 5 a.m. to about 5 p.m. on Sunday: 17, 27, 31, 32, 33, 38, 44, 47, 48, 61, 124 and 125.

Details for the detours will be available at www.septa.org.

Security guidelines

The city urges people using Regional Rail to get to the parade not to carry bags, backpacks or satchels. All bags are subject to search, which could cause delays. No cups or liquids are allowed on Regional Rail.

The following items are not allowed near the parade route: 

• Weapons and contraband of any kind
• Fireworks or explosives
• Illegal or illicit substances of any kind
• Alcoholic beverages (Open Container Law will be strictly enforced)
• Skateboards, motorized vehicles or scooters (excluding motorized wheelchairs or similar equipment)
• Laser pointers
• Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and drones of any kind