New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade is one of world's longest-running parades

NEW YORK (TND) — New York City's St. Patrick's Day Paradekicked off in the 1700s, with 2024 marking the event's 263rd year.

From its earliest days, right up to the present, the New York City Saint Patrick’s Day Parade has been run entirely by volunteers, many of whom come from generations of families dedicated to the organization of the parade," according to the parade's website. "It takes months of preparation and countless hours to run the world’s oldest and largest parade. We could not do it without the commitment of these great women and men."

Since Patrick’s Day falls on a Sunday this year, the parade will take place on Saturday “in order to observe the Sunday Sabbath,” organizers said online.

The celebration is set to start on 5th Avenue at 44th Street at 11 a.m. and will conclude on 5th Avenue uptown at 79th Street around 4:30 p.m.It will be led by the parade’s grand marshal, Margaret C. Timoney, who is the chief executive of Heineken U.S.A.

The parade's website noted about 150,000 people will march in the parade, with 2 million spectators expected to attend.Spectators can begin lining up along 5th Avenue as early as they please.

"Anywhere along 5th Avenue will give visitors of the Parade a fine location to experience the Parade. If you prefer to stand as close to 5th Avenue as possible, then the earlier you get there, the better," the website noted.

There will also be a Catholic mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral ahead of the parade.

The parade, as well as the mass, will be streamed online at nycstpatricksparade.org.

New York Police Chief Jeffrey Maddrey said the parade is the city's second longest parad -- behind the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade. Maddrey said about 150 officers will be at the event to provide security, adding that there have not been any credible threats leading up to the parade.

"We will have numerous resources out there from the NYPD and other local state law enforcement agencies," he said during a news conference. "We will have assets that you can see; we will have assets that you can't see."

The parade will commence rain or shine. It was canceled in 2020 -- but not due to weather, rather because of the coronavirus pandemic.