The St. Patrick's Day Parade has become one of the most beloved traditions of the Big Apple -- but how did this yearly event come to be and why is it celebrated?
Here is everything you need to know about the history of this renowned event, attended by hundreds of thousands every year.
When was the first parade?
The beginning of the parade can actually be traced back to before the United States became a country, according to the NYC Saint Patrick's Day Parade Inc., the non-profit behind organizing the parade every year. The parade took place for the first time on March 17, 1762 -- a whopping 14 years before the Declaration of Independence was adopted.
The first parade, according to organizers, was held in 1762 on lower Broadway by homesick Irish ex-patriots and Irish military serving with the British Army stationed in the colonies and New York City. However, according to the New-York Historical Society Museum & Library, the first known reference to a St. Patrick's Day celebration in the Big Apple is found in a 1756 issue of the "New-York-Post-Boy" newspaper.
This means that the parade has been a fixture in New York City for the past 262 years, with military units organizing the event for the first few years, according to NYC Saint Patrick's Day Inc. It wasn't until after the War of 1812 that Irish fraternal and benevolent societies took over hosting duties and sponsored the parade.
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"Originally, the Irish societies joined together at their respective meeting places and moved in a procession toward Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Lower Manhattan on Mott & Prince Streets where the Archbishop of New York would then address the crowd before revelers dispersed to celebrate," NYC Saint Patrick's Day Inc. describes.
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Who was St. Patrick and why is he celebrated?
The annual parade is celebrated in honor of St. Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland who is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland.
St. Patrick has become so closely associated with Ireland, that St. Patrick's Day has become a day of celebrating Irish heritage.
A popular legend, according to the Encyclopædia Britannica, recounts that it was St. Patrick who would explain the concept of the Holy Trinity during his missionary travels with a shamrock -- and through time the shamrock became a popular symbol of St. Patrick's Day and Irish heritage.
What you need to know about this year's parade
The 263rd New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade will march down Fifth Avenue on Saturday.
The parade will kick off at 11 a.m. ET on 5th Avenue at 44th Street and end on 79th Street at around 3 p.m.
Who is the grand marshal of the 2024 NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade?
Margaret C. “Maggie” Timoney was announced as this year's grand marshal. Timoney is the president and CEO of HEINEKEN USA based in White Plains, New York -- a company that she has been with for more than 20 years.
Timoney, a native of Ireland, has become a trailblazer in the male-dominated industry, becoming the first woman to serve as chief executive of a major beer company in the US.
How do I watch the St. Patrick's Day Parade?
Viewers can watch the NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade over-the-air broadcast on WNBC from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and over-the-air coverage on Cozi TV from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Full coverage of the parade will also be available on NBCNewYork.com and in the NBC New York app for iOS and Android devices.
In addition, viewers can watch the entire parade on the NBC New York streaming channel, which is available on a dedicated Peacock channel, The Roku Channel, Samsung TV Plus, Xumo Play, Amazon Fire, Google TV, Freevee, TCL and Local Now.
For more information on the WNBC broadcast of the parade, click here.
