What began as a private celebration has developed into quite an extraordinary event, with hundreds of thousands of tourists and visitors in attendance each year.  In order to plan for this fun-filled trip, you must reserve your hotel room as soon as possible, as they will most likely all be full by the first week of March.  If you plan to attend as many festivities possible, it is wise to show up a few days early so you can get the full Savannah St. Patty’s experience.

 

March 6th will be an early kick off with the traditional Greening of Forsyth Park Fountain.  Every year citizens of Savannah come together to participate in this honorary celebration by turning the fountain’s water green. The ceremony will begin at 12 noon, so you may want to show up early if you have any small children, they will want to be up close for the fun.

 

On Saturday, March 14, from 11a.m.-5p.m. there is a Tara Feis Irish Celebration in Emmet Park, which borders Bay Street in downtown Savannah.  This family friendly event will be held outdoors so that everyone can enjoy Irish dancing, food, crafts, and other celebratory activities.  This event is even more enjoyable as it is located by the beautiful Savannah River.

 

Another fun event held on Saturday before St. Patty’s Day is the parade at Tybee Island.  This will be a great afternoon festivity for your whole family to enjoy as people bring ion the green by the sandy beach at Tybee.  Keep in mind Tybee is approximately a 20-25 minute ride to Savannah.  The parade route runs South on Butler from 4th St. to Tybrisa Street. There will be lots of Irish families marching along with bands, bagpipers, floats, the Alee Temple Shriners, and this year an added attraction will be the Clydesdales. This mini version of the larger Savannah parade will be fun for the whole family. 

 

Should you and your family choose to participate in traditional Catholic St. Patrick’s Day Mass, it will be held on Tuesday March 17 at 8 a.m.  It is held annually in the historic Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, the oldest Roman Catholic Church in Georgia, located near Lafayette Square in downtown Savannah.

 

The main attraction however of Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day festival, the 184th Annual St. Patty’s Day Parade; will begin at 10:15 a.m. in the historic district.  The crowds will be very dense starting early in the morning, so parking at the Oglethorpe Mall and riding a shuttle downtown would be highly advised.  Once you make your way downtown there are a few good spots where you may want view the parade.  The 600 block of Abercorn Street, Bull Street between Liberty and Harris Streets, and both Broughton and Bay Streets are great locations. (Parade route map http://www.keytosavannah.com/images/uploads/stpattys-parade-route.pdf ). 

 

The St. Patrick’s Day festivities will still be in full swing once the elaborate and entertaining parade has commenced.  The non-stop live entertainment and festivities on River Street will begin at 10:00am on Friday March 14th  and will continue through Tuesday March 17th!  Here there will be a wide range of events for all ages to enjoy with everything from live bands of every genre, games, food, cold beverages, and green novelty items of all shapes and sizes. This event is open to the public of all ages and is free to attend. Though alcohol is available on River Street, it is necessary that adults wishing to consume alcohol carry their I.D., as well as wear a wristband at all times. Wristbands will be required all days except Sunday, and a proper I.D. is a must.  

 

Here are a few helpful hints in order to make sure you have the best possible St. Patrick’s Day experience in beautiful and historic Savannah. One suggestion is that all members of your family wear a distinctive color other than green in your outfit, or have shirts made of similar design in order to keep up with each other during the vastly populated events.  Also, make sure to have a tentative agenda planned so that you know what time and where each event will be taking place.  Check the weather forecast in order to make sure that you dress comfortably because lots of these festivities require a bit of walking.  For convenience, you may want to keep your map, wallet, sunglasses, and other personal items in a small bag that has straps, such as a fanny pack so you can keep track of them. If you keep all these tips in mind, you will be sure to have an unforgettable St. Patrick’s Day 2009!

 

 

Resources, all retrieved Friday February 20, 2009

 

http://gosoutheast.about.com/od/eventsfestivalsholidays/a/stpats_savannah.htm

 

http://www.riverstreetsavannah.com/info_pages.php?pages_id=58

 

http://savannahsaintpatricksday.com/paradeRoute.html

 

http://savannahsaintpatricksday.com/schedule.html