Savannah St. Patrick’s Day is a single family-friendly parade through the Historic District, not the wristband-and-beer-garden festival it used to be — Savannah eliminated the permitted festival, outdoor alcohol sales, and wristbands back in 2021. The parade itself, the squares along Bull Street, and Forsyth Park work fine for kids. River Street and the bars south of the parade route on the day itself get loud, crowded, and adult-oriented by afternoon. Know which is which before you plan your day.
The 2026 parade already happened — it ran Tuesday, March 17, 2026. As of this writing, the City of Savannah and the Savannah Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Committee have not announced the 2027 date. This guide gives you the confirmed pattern from recent years plus every logistics detail the city has published, so you can plan the moment next year’s date posts.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What does it cost? | Watching from the street or a square is free. Bleacher seats start around $40 at Bay Street and Colonial Park Cemetery, around $55 at St. John’s Cathedral and Bull Street, and a VIP day package starts around $249. |
| How long should we budget? | Half a day. Come for the morning and plan to be out of downtown by early-to-mid afternoon. |
| When is the parade? | On or near March 17 each year. In 2026 it ran Tuesday, March 17, starting at 10:15 a.m.; the 2027 date was not announced at verification. |
| What is the best time to go with kids? | Parade morning, before 1pm. The crowd shifts adult and heavy-drinking by mid-afternoon. |
| Where do we park, and what does it cost? | City garages ran about $15 a day during the control zone and about $25 on parade day (5 a.m. to midnight) in 2026, with a flat $42 charge for a lost ticket. |
| Are dogs allowed? | Leashed pets are allowed in parks and squares by city ordinance, but packed sidewalks make it impractical. |
| Is it stroller-friendly? | Manageable on the paved squares early. Once sidewalks fill with standing spectators, a carrier works better. |
What should you know before parade day?
| Detail | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Parade date | March 17 most years (2026: Tuesday, March 17); 2027 not yet announced |
| Parade start | 10:15 a.m. from Gwinnett and Abercorn streets, after 8 a.m. Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (2026 timing) |
| Control zone dates | Runs from the Friday before through the evening of parade day (2026: Friday, March 13-Tuesday, March 17) |
| Wristbands | None — Savannah stopped selling festival wristbands in 2021 |
| Open containers | Only in approved 16-oz plastic to-go cups, and only from bars/restaurants; no public alcohol sales or outdoor bars |
| Squares “land rush” | Squares clear at 10 p.m. the night before; open for spot-claiming at 6 a.m. parade day |
| Dogs | Leashed pets allowed in parks/squares by city ordinance, but not practical in the crowd |
What is Savannah St. Patrick’s Day like now?
Savannah has celebrated the Feast of St. Patrick since 1824, per the Savannah Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Committee — one of the oldest continuous celebrations in the country. But the modern event is smaller and more family-oriented than its reputation suggests.
In 2021, Savannah’s mayor and council ended the permitted street festival that used to run alongside the parade. The city’s official FAQ states: “There is no longer a permitted festival. This decision was made in 2021 by the Mayor and Council in an effort to get back to the family atmosphere of the St. Patrick’s Day parade.” That means no permitted stages, bands, or alcohol sales on public streets — and no wristbands, since there’s no outdoor drinking zone left to sell them for.
What’s left: the parade itself, a designated to-go cup zone for carrying drinks between bars, food trucks at a few locations, and families claiming spots in the historic squares that morning. The heavy-drinking, block-party side of Savannah St. Patrick’s Day still exists — it’s just contained to bars and sidewalks around River Street and south of Forsyth Park, on private property, rather than a city-run festival ground. For other annual Georgia events and when they fall, see our Georgia events calendar.
When is the parade, and what time does it start?
The parade runs on or near March 17 every year, but the exact day of the week shifts depending on the calendar. In 2026 it fell on a Tuesday, and the parade began at 10:15 a.m. from the intersection of Gwinnett and Abercorn streets, after an 8 a.m. Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, per the City of Savannah’s official parade page. The city’s control zone — the period when special event rules and street closures apply downtown — ran Friday, March 13 through Tuesday, March 17, 2026.
The 2027 date has not been published yet by either the city or the parade committee’s official site as of this writing. Check savannahsaintpatricksday.com or the city’s St. Patrick’s Day page in late winter — dates and the control zone calendar typically post a few months ahead.
- Recurring pattern: Parade on or near March 17 each year; exact weekday and whether it moves to a nearby weekend depends on how the 17th falls.
- Pre-parade tradition: The Forsyth Park fountain gets dyed green in early March (March 6 in 2026) — a free, low-key photo stop days before the parade itself.
Do you need a ticket, and what do seats cost?
Watching the parade from the street is free — there’s no admission and no wristband requirement anywhere in Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration. The only thing you can pay for is a guaranteed seat.
The parade committee sells bleacher seating at a handful of fixed spots along the route through an online booking system. Pricing listed on the committee’s site: bleacher seats at Bay Street/Colonial Park Cemetery start around $40, and seats at St. John’s Cathedral/Bull Street start around $55, both good for the roughly 5-hour viewing window and marked all-ages. A VIP day-package option starts around $249. Check current pricing and availability directly with the committee before booking, since tiers and prices can change year to year.
| How you watch or park | Cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Street and square viewing | Free | Any public right-of-way spot; squares open for spot-claiming at 6 a.m. on parade day |
| Bleacher seat, Bay Street and Colonial Park Cemetery | From about $40 | Reserved all-ages seat for the roughly 5-hour viewing window |
| Bleacher seat, St. John’s Cathedral and Bull Street | From about $55 | Reserved all-ages seat for the roughly 5-hour viewing window |
| VIP day package | From about $249 | Sold through the parade committee; tiers and prices change year to year |
| City garage, control-zone days | About $15 a day in 2026 | Downtown garage parking; a lost ticket is a flat $42 |
| City garage, parade day | About $25 for 5 a.m. to midnight in 2026 | Same garages, but route closures can keep cars from exiting until the parade ends |
| Park-and-ride shuttle | Fee varies by operator | 2026 routes ran from a Chatham Toyota lot, Richmond Hill, Pooler and Berwick, Tybee Island and the Tanger Outlets |
Where do you park, and what does it cost?
Downtown parking gets both more expensive and more restricted during the control zone. In 2026, the city’s special St. Patrick’s Day garage rates ran about $15/day earlier in the control zone period and jumped to about $25 for the parade day itself (5 a.m. to midnight), with a flat $42 charge for a lost ticket, according to the city’s parking, garages, shuttles and ferries page. Once the parade route closes, cars in some garages can’t exit again until the parade ends, so don’t plan to leave early.
If you’d rather skip downtown parking, the city has coordinated private shuttles from outlying park-and-ride lots on parade day in past years — for 2026 that meant routes from a Chatham Toyota lot, from Richmond Hill/Pooler/Berwick, from Tybee Island, and from the Tanger Outlets, each run by a different operator with its own schedule and fee. Confirm current operators and costs on the city’s parking page before relying on one, since these change year to year.
- Regular transit: Chatham Area Transit’s normal bus routes keep running; check catchacat.org for schedules, which may shift on parade day.
- Vehicles left on the route: The city requires all vehicles off the parade route by 12:01 a.m. the morning of the parade or they’re towed at the owner’s expense.
What is the best time to go with kids?
Go for the parade itself, in the morning, and plan to leave downtown by early-to-mid afternoon. The “family window” runs from the 6 a.m. land rush through the parade’s few hours — the crowd is at its most kid-friendly before lunch.
By mid-afternoon, downtown — especially River Street and the bar-dense blocks toward Congress and Bay streets — shifts noticeably toward an adult, heavy-drinking crowd as the to-go cup zone fills in. If you’re bringing kids, that’s your cue to head out, not stay for dinner downtown.
Where should families watch the parade?
The historic squares along the parade route are where families actually watch from, and they’re set up for exactly that. City rules for the squares’ “land rush” allow tables, coolers, lawn chairs, and pop-up tents up to 10 feet by 10 feet — the same gear you’d bring to a tailgate. Squares are cleared of all setups by 10 p.m. the night before, and the rush for spots starts at 6 a.m. on parade day. Glass containers, grills, kegs, amplified sound, and portable toilets aren’t allowed in the squares, and everyone is responsible for cleaning up their own spot.
- Stroller reality: Squares sit on paved paths and are stroller-manageable early on, but once sidewalks fill with standing spectators, maneuvering a stroller gets difficult fast — a carrier works better once the parade is actually passing.
- Restrooms: The city places port-a-johns at marked locations across the celebration area for the weekend; find current locations on the city’s interactive St. Patrick’s Day weekend map (linked from the parade page) rather than counting on a specific spot. Cafés and restaurants along Bull Street are a backup, but expect a wait or a purchase requirement.
- Where to watch: Squares between the route’s midpoint and Forsyth Park tend to feel more like a family picnic; the blocks directly around the bars near River Street and lower Bull Street skew toward an adult crowd earlier in the day than you might expect.
- Lost child plan: The city’s own guidance is to photograph your kids in their parade-day outfits before you leave so you have a current photo on hand, and to report a separated child immediately to any police officer, firefighter, or EMT on scene, or call 911.
- Noise: Parade units are limited to 90 decibels of amplified music by city rule, but combined crowd noise, especially near main viewing blocks, is genuinely loud — bring ear protection for toddlers who are sensitive to it.
Dogs
Technically allowed, practically a bad idea. City ordinance requires leashed pets in parks and squares, and nothing in the St. Patrick’s Day rules specifically bans dogs there. But between packed sidewalks, dropped food and drink, and hours of standing, the route is a rough environment for most dogs. Leave pets at your accommodation for the day.
Where to Stay
Historic District hotels sell out and raise rates well ahead of parade weekend, and many properties switch to multi-night minimum-stay requirements instead of one-night bookings — common for Savannah’s biggest weekends, though not a rule the city or hotels publish. Book early and confirm each property’s current minimum-stay policy and rate directly.
If downtown rates or minimum stays don’t work for a family trip, Tybee Island — about 25-30 minutes east — is a realistic base camp; see our Tybee Island with kids guide for what a family day there looks like the rest of the year. For a fuller non-parade visit, our 3 days in Savannah itinerary covers the Historic District, Forsyth Park, and a family-track Day 2 without any of the parade-weekend crowding. If you are building a longer trip, our Georgia coast road trip itinerary and the wider coastal Georgia hub cover what else is within reach.
What to Skip / Common Mistakes
- Don’t expect a festival. If you’re picturing beer tents and a wristband-gated street festival, that ended in 2021. Come for the parade and the squares, not an outdoor festival ground that no longer exists.
- Don’t try to claim a square spot after sunrise. Land rush starts at 6 a.m. and the best family spots near the route go within the first hour or two.
- Don’t bring a cooler south of Forsyth Park expecting to drink from it on the sidewalk. Coolers are fine for a square picnic under land-rush rules, but open containers on public streets outside the to-go cup zone, and outside approved 16-oz plastic cups, aren’t allowed anywhere in the control zone.
- Don’t park in a garage and expect to leave mid-parade. Route closures can trap vehicles in some garages until the parade finishes.
- Don’t bring glass. Glass containers are banned throughout the control zone, squares included.
What happens if it rains?
The parade runs rain or shine. Savannah’s mid-March weather typically brings cool mornings in the 40s-50s Fahrenheit warming into the 60s by afternoon, with a real chance of rain. There’s no published cancellation policy — pack ponchos rather than large umbrellas, which crowd sidewalks and squares, and check the National Weather Service Savannah forecast that week rather than assuming clear skies.
What if you only have the morning, or a toddler in tow?
| If you… | Do this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Only have parade morning | Claim a square spot at the 6 a.m. land rush, watch the parade, and be out of downtown by early-to-mid afternoon | The parade starts at 10:15 a.m. from Gwinnett and Abercorn streets; by mid-afternoon the crowd near River Street and Bay shifts adult and heavy-drinking |
| Have a toddler or a stroller | Set up early on a paved square, then switch to a carrier once the parade is passing | Squares are stroller-manageable early but standing spectators pack the sidewalks; parade units run up to 90 decibels, so bring ear protection |
| Want the free option | Watch from any public right-of-way or square, and catch the Forsyth Park fountain dyeing days earlier | There is no admission and no wristband anywhere; the fountain turns green in early March (March 6 in 2026) as a free photo stop |
| Want a guaranteed seat | Book a committee bleacher seat instead of racing for a square | From about $40 at Bay Street and Colonial Park Cemetery or about $55 at St. John’s Cathedral and Bull Street, all-ages, for the roughly 5-hour viewing window |
| Do not want to deal with downtown parking | Use one of the park-and-ride shuttles from an outlying lot | City garages ran about $25 on parade day in 2026, a lost ticket is a flat $42, and route closures can keep cars from exiting some garages until the parade ends |
| Get rain | Come anyway, in ponchos rather than large umbrellas | The parade runs rain or shine with no published cancellation policy; mid-March mornings sit in the 40s-50s Fahrenheit and warm into the 60s |
| Are bringing the dog | Leave the dog at your accommodation for the day | Leashed pets are allowed in parks and squares by ordinance, but packed sidewalks, dropped food and hours of standing make it impractical |
FAQ
Is Savannah St. Patrick’s Day good for kids?
The parade itself and the squares along the route are genuinely family-friendly — city rules explicitly aim for a family atmosphere, and picnicking families are common in the squares. The bar-heavy blocks near River Street and the areas covered by the to-go cup zone get rowdier as the day goes on, so plan your family time for the parade and morning, not an all-day downtown visit.
Do I need a wristband for Savannah St. Patrick’s Day?
No. Savannah stopped selling festival wristbands in 2021 when the city ended the permitted street festival. There’s no wristband-gated area anymore; watching the parade is free and open to anyone on the public right-of-way.
Can you drink alcohol outside during Savannah St. Patrick’s Day?
Only in approved 16-ounce plastic to-go cups purchased from a licensed bar or restaurant, and only within the designated to-go cup zone, which extends further south on parade day itself. There are no outdoor bars, kegs, or public alcohol sales — all alcohol has to come from an inside establishment.
What is Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day control zone?
It’s the multi-day window — roughly the Friday before through parade evening — when the city applies special event rules downtown: modified alcohol and container rules, parking and towing restrictions, and bans on items like coolers on public streets, fireworks, and glass. Exact dates shift with the parade date each year.
Is downtown Savannah stroller-friendly during St. Patrick’s Day?
Less so than a normal day. The squares and sidewalks are paved, but parade-day crowds pack in tight enough that maneuvering a stroller through standing spectators is difficult, especially close to the route once the parade starts. A baby carrier is more practical than a stroller for the parade itself.
When will the 2027 Savannah St. Patrick’s Day parade date be announced?
Neither the City of Savannah nor the Savannah Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Committee had published a 2027 date as of this writing. Based on past years, expect the date and control zone calendar to post on the city’s and committee’s official sites a few months ahead of the parade.
Are bleacher seats worth it, or should we claim a spot in a square?
Claim a square if you have kids and can be downtown for the 6 a.m. land rush. It costs nothing, and city rules allow tables, coolers, lawn chairs and a pop-up tent up to 10 feet by 10 feet. Bleachers start around $40 at Bay Street and around $55 at Bull Street, and buy a guaranteed all-ages seat for the roughly 5-hour window.
Should we park downtown or take a park-and-ride shuttle?
Take a shuttle if you want to be able to leave when you want. Downtown garages ran about $25 on parade day in 2026, a lost ticket is a flat $42, and route closures can keep cars from exiting some garages until the parade ends. Shuttles ran from several outlying lots, each with its own operator, schedule and fee.
What should you do if you only have the parade morning in Savannah?
Be in a square for the 6 a.m. land rush, watch the parade from its 10:15 a.m. start at Gwinnett and Abercorn streets, and head out of downtown by early-to-mid afternoon. That morning stretch is the family window; later in the day the bar-dense blocks near River Street, Congress and Bay turn into an adult, heavy-drinking crowd.
Is the parade still worth going to in the rain?
Yes. The parade runs rain or shine and there is no published cancellation policy. Mid-March in Savannah typically means cool mornings in the 40s-50s Fahrenheit warming into the 60s, with a real chance of rain. Pack ponchos instead of large umbrellas, which crowd sidewalks and squares, and check the National Weather Service Savannah forecast that week.
How we checked this guide: Dates, hours, admission and parking prices, and access details were verified against the official sources listed below on . Operators change schedules and raise prices without notice, so confirm anything time-sensitive before you drive. The figures in this guide also feed our Georgia Attraction Transparency Index and Family Day-Out Cost Index.
Sources
- City of Savannah — St. Patrick’s Day Parade
- City of Savannah — St. Pats Weekend (control zone rules)
- City of Savannah — St. Patrick’s Day FAQs
- City of Savannah — Parks and Squares (Land Rush rules)
- City of Savannah — Parking, Garages, Shuttles and Ferries
- City of Savannah — Animals in Parks and Squares
- City of Savannah — St. Patrick’s Day in Savannah
- Savannah Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Committee — Official Site
- Savannah Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Committee — Bleacher Seating
Hank Whitlock is the pen name of the It's Georgia editor. Every guide is built around the questions a busy family actually asks before a trip: how long is the drive, what does parking cost, can the stroller make it, are dogs allowed. Details are checked against official park, city, and venue sources, and each guide shows the date it was last updated.
