NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade 2025: Street closures and transit updates

NEW YORK - New York City's 264th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade will take place on Monday, March 17, 2025.

The parade is the oldest and largest St. Patrick's Day Parade in the world, first being held in 1762. 

But while the parade will draw massive crowds, it will also cause widespread street closures throughout Manhattan, from Midtown to the Upper East Side. Here's what you need to know:

Full List of Street Closures:

Formation Areas:

• Vanderbilt Avenue between 43rd Street and 46th Street
• 44th Street between Vanderbilt Avenue and 6th Avenue
• 45th Street between Vanderbilt Avenue and 6th Avenue
• 46th Street between Vanderbilt Avenue and 6th Avenue
• 47th Street between Park Avenue and 6th Avenue
• 48th Street between Park Avenue and 6th Avenue

Parade Route:

• 5th Avenue between 43rd Street and 79th Street

Dispersal Areas:

• 5th Avenue between 79th Street and 84th Street
• 79th Street between Park Avenue and 5th Avenue
• 80th Street between Lexington Avenue and 5th Avenue
• 81st Street between Lexington Avenue and 5th Avenue
• 82nd Street between Lexington Avenue and 5th Avenue
• 83rd Street between Lexington Avenue and 5th Avenue
• 84th Street between Park Avenue and 5th Avenue

Additional Road Closures:

• 43rd Street between Vanderbilt Avenue and 6th Avenue
• 49th Street between Madison Avenue and Rockefeller Plaza
• 50th Street between Madison Avenue and Rockefeller Plaza
• 51st Street between Madison Avenue and 6th Avenue
• 54th Street between Madison Avenue and 6th Avenue
• 57th Street between Madison Avenue and 6th Avenue
• 59th Street between Madison Avenue and 6th Avenue
• 62nd Street between Madison Avenue and 5th Avenue
• 63rd Street between Madison Avenue and 5th Avenue
• 64th Street between Park Avenue and 5th Avenue
• 65th Street between Madison Avenue and 5th Avenue
• 70th Street between Madison Avenue and 5th Avenue
• 71st Street between Madison Avenue and 5th Avenue
• 72nd Street between Madison Avenue and 5th Avenue
• 78th Street between Madison Avenue and 5th Avenue
• Madison Avenue between 42nd Street and 84th Street

Transit Changes:

To accommodate the crowds, the MTA will increase service on the LIRR, Metro-North, and NYC Subway:

Best Subway Routes:

• The Lexington Avenue Line (4, 5, 6) provides the best access to the parade.
• The 5 Av/53 St station (E, M) is a short walk from the parade route.
• Some stairs at the 77 St (6) station will be enter-only or exit-only.

LIRR & Metro-North Adjustments:

• Extra trains will be available before and after the parade.
• The Grand Central Madison terminal provides easy access near the parade route.
• Alcohol bans: LIRR bans alcohol from midnight Saturday to 5 a.m. Monday; Metro-North bans alcohol all day Saturday.

Bus Reroutes:

Expect reroutes on the following lines:

M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, M31, M50, M55, M57, M66, M72, M79 SBS, Q32, and most express buses.

Riders should check new.mta.info for real-time updates.