The 2022 Dogtown St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Irish Festival is TOMORROW!! We have been looking forward to this since 2019 when we were last able to celebrate in person. Take one last look over our six-step checklist to help ensure your St. Patrick’s Day is a success.

1. Make a plan for parking or getting a ride to and from Dogtown

Whether you live in Dogtown or are driving in for the day, you need to make sure you know where you will be able to park and what streets will be open to get in and out of the neighborhood. Be sure to review our detailed maps below (and visit our FAQs page) as you put your plan in place. Since day-of parking and street restrictions begin at 6:00 a.m., Dogtown residents parked along these streets are encouraged to move their vehicles the night before.

If you are a visitor, ride-hailing is a great option to get yourself to Dogtown without worrying about what roads are open and where to park. The ride-hailing pick-up area is located on Clayton near Crescent.

Aside from street parking, parking is also available for a fee at the St. Louis Zoo parking lots (north of I-64 and off of Oakland and Berthold), St. James the Greater Parish Park Lot, and at the St. Louis Marketplace (south of Manchester).

No matter how you arrive in Dogtown, remember that you will not be able to cross Tamm Avenue while the parade is happening between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

2. Get your go-to green outfit ready

Of course! Hopefully, you have already snagged some of Emily Stahl’s Dogtown stickers to wear with your Series Six official festival shirt. If you don’t have a go-to green outfit yet, don’t worry. Series Six still has plenty of green gear that you can pick up in-store at 26 The Blvd Saint Louis Street | Richmond Heights, MO 63117 on March 16. You can also stop by the Series Six booth at the Irish Festival on March 17 and get your gear on the go.

3. Pack your pockets and purses

As has been the case since 2013, coolers and backpacks (as well as cans, bottles, and outside alcohol) are prohibited from the Parade and Irish Festival. This presents a great opportunity to pack light and support local businesses and vendors. When you’re packing your purse and/or pockets, consider bringing some of these festival essentials:

Credit card and/or cash
While most vendors will accept credit cards, having cash on hand never hurts!
Sunglasses, hat, sunscreen
Have you seen the weather for Thursday?? Partly sunny with a high of 78.
Hand sanitizer
For use before, during, and after using the many portable toilets available throughout the neighborhood
Mask (optional)
There are no restrictions pertaining to the festival’s outdoor gatherings. The City of St. Louis no longer mandates masks to be worn indoors while in a public facility, but private businesses within the festival zone may have additional health protocols in place related to indoor activities. We urge you to adhere to CDC guidelines to practice social distancing whenever possible.
Child care accessories
Any containers needed for child care purposes will be allowed at the event

4. Know the schedule of events

The Irish Festival begins at 9:00 a.m., which gives you plenty of time to stop by a vendor or two while you scope out a good spot to watch the parade. The parade leaves from Wells Drive (in Forest Park) at 11:00 a.m. and moves south down Tamm Avenue towards Manchester. The route takes approximately 30 minutes, so the 90 floats will complete the parade within about two hours. The Irish Festival officially ends at 6:00 p.m. and all Tamm Avenue businesses will close by 8:00 p.m.

If you’re looking for entertainment, check out the schedule for live music and dancing throughout Dogtown:

9:30 a.m. Irish Dancers from the Clark Academy (Family Zone - POWERS Stage)

10:00 a.m. Live Music with Paul Cassidy, John Bolduan, Eileen Gannon and Robert Ryan (Family Zone - POWERS Stage)

12:00 p.m. Irish Aires and Irish Dancing (Irish Culture Zone - Guinness Stage)

1:00 p.m. Live Music with Ashby Laws, Griffin Reed, Holly Laws and Jennifer Kelly (Family Zone - POWERS Stage)

1:00 p.m. Rusty Nail (Party Zone - Bud Light Stage)

Keep in mind that cell phone signals may be weak due to crowd size. When visitors are preparing to leave the festival, carve out some extra time to find cell service, hail a cab or ride-sharing accommodations, and make your way to the pick-up area.

5. Be respectful of the neighborhood and its residents

As you enjoy St. Patrick’s Day, be mindful that you are doing so in the middle of a residential neighborhood. Many of the sidewalks along the parade route are adjacent to residential homes and businesses. Please do not trespass on private property. While crowds may be larger around the intersection of Clayton and Tamm, it is usually less crowded towards the end of the parade route towards Manchester.

There will be numerous dumpsters and trash barrels throughout the neighborhood, so be sure to dispose of trash in the proper receptacles. If you are interested in helping with the neighborhood clean-up, click here to signup.

Portable toilets are available at every intersection across Tamm. Public urinating will not be tolerated.

Dogtown residents, business owners and staff, security officials, and event managers will be making every effort to ensure the 2022 St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Irish Festival is enjoyable for all who attend. In appreciation of their efforts, please be courteous and respectful - and have fun!

6. Share your experience

As you are celebrating (or later when you’re on WiFi), share your experience on social by tagging @dogtownunited (on Facebook or Instagram) and using #Dogtown2022. You can also tag some of the partners and sponsors. We love to see your photos! If you are a professional photographer or are interested in making your photos available to use in marketing for next year’s event, please email dogtownunited@gmail.com for more information.

Have a great time tomorrow and be safe. Sláinte!