The 2023 Dogtown St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Irish Festival is THIS WEEK!! We have been looking forward 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 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
Fingers crossed for good weather…
Poncho, rain boots, umbrella
Even if the weather isn’t as good as we hope, a little rain won’t keep us from having a good time! Come prepared so you can be as comfortable as possible.
Jacket, gloves, beanie
Rain or shine, Friday is looking to be chilly.
Hand sanitizer
For use before, during, and after using the many portable toilets available throughout the neighborhood.
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:

Heavy Riff Main Stage

9:00 to 11:00 a.m. 120 Minutes (80s and 90s Cover Band)
1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Rusty Nail (Celtic-infused rock originals and traditional Irish pub songs)

State Farm Family Stage

9:00 to 11:00 a.m. Wild Geese (Irish folk band)
1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Number 9 Coal (Irish folk trio)

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, join us at The Pat Connolly Tavern on March 18 at 10:00 a.m. Free pizza and beverages will be provided after picking up trash.

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 2023 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 #DogtownStPatricksDay. 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!