Tips to Survive the Greenville Avenue St Patricks Day Parade

Who is ready for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Greenville Avenue? I am! The St. Patricks Day Parade will be held on March 15th, 2014.

Last year, I was very surprised when they announced that Snoop Dogg would be the headliner to the Dallas Observer concert at the parade. I was more than excited that Dallas was bringing such an icon to our parade that almost didn’t exist a few years ago – Thanks, Mark Cuban! This year, Dallas Observer is bringing another rap artist….. LUDACRIS.

Presale tickets are $15, and they’ll be on sale starting next Tuesday, February 11 at 10 a.m. via Ticket Fly. Sign up for the Dallas Observer Music Newsletter to gain access to the exclusive Pre-Sale Tuesday, February 11th at 10:00am – Friday, February 14th at 9:00am. I would highly suggest purchasing tickets as soon as they’re available, if you are planning on attending. There will be limited tickets so why wait?

The St Patrick’s Day Parade is a part of Dallas and an amazing tradition that our city has. The best plan of action for the parade is to be prepared. The first few times I went, I was not prepared. I got to the parade late, I didn’t wear comfy shoes – the list goes on. I learned very quickly that there are a few things that you must do to enjoy the parade in it’s entirety. Follow the survival guide below:

Tips to survive the Greenville Avenue St Patrick’s Day Parade

Get some rest. Don’t stay up all of Friday night and expect to fun the next day. The parade is tiring (or maybe it’s the drinking all day), get a few extra hours of sleep so you can party with the best of them.

Pre-party. You might feel like an alcoholic drinking before 10am but St. Patricks Day is one day that is okay. Gather your  friends, make breakfast and have a few brewskis before heading to the parade. The liquor stores aren’t open in the morning, so stock up the night before.

Stay hydrated. It might not be 110 degress outside but the odds are that you will be drinking alcohol most of the day. You don’t want to be “that guy” who is drunk before 10am. Carry a couple water bottles with you so you can drink that throughout the day.

Eat breakfast. You aren’t superman. If you are going to be drinking the whole day, get some food in your stomach. Food will keep you from getting drunk so fast and also will give you energy to fight the crowds.

Know the parade details. The parade starts at 11am but the roads will be shut down starting around 9am. Don’t expect to drive your car through this area with ease (even before 9am). Run all of your errands along Greenville before Saturday!

Don’t drive. I know that it is convenient to have your car with you so you can leave whenever you want but St. Patricks Day is not the day to be driving. The streets will be packed and there is practically NO legal parking down Greenville Ave. Ditch the car, and save your self from getting towed. It’s not fun to be towed, not to mention that it costs an arm and leg.

Wear green. DUH. You would be surprised by the amount of people who don’t wear green or “forget.” If it’s green, wear it! You’ll see suspenders, wigs, buttons, jeans, and more that are green. It IS St. Patrick’s Day, why wouldn’t you wear green? Oh, you liked to be pinched by creepy strangers who are trying to sneak a feel? Be my guest, but don’t say I didn’t tell ya so!

Bring cash. This is the fastest and most effective way to get a beer. The streets will be packed and everybody will be at the bar, bringing cash will help the whole bar ordering process. Don’t make your friends wait to go to the next spot because you’re trying to tab out.

Wear comfy shoes. I know those fabulous high heels might go PERFECTLY with your all green outfit but the parade isn’t the place to wear them. You will be miserable all day. Wear some shoes that are comfortable that you can walk miles (yes, miles) in.

Get to the parade BEFORE it starts. Don’t stroll up to the parade at 11am and expect to get a good spot. There is expected to be 90,000 at the parade. Think ahead and get there before everybody and start drinking. (See below).

Beware of the open container law. Unfortunately, the Open Container Law isn’t waived because of the parade (which it SHOULD be) and is still in full effect. Although, you will see many, many people drinking on Greenville Ave, it is still against the law. The cops are usually more worried about the crime and keeping the area safe, they still have the full right to give you a citation.

Bring toilet paper. This is the for the ladies. The port-a-potties are gross and by the time the parade is over, you won’t want to walk past them. After the first hour, most of the toilet paper will be run out already. Take a stash and put it in your purse, just in case! Better be safe than sorry, right?

Most of all, have fun! This event is a Dallas tradition that we want to live on for a long time. What are some tips that you would tell other parade goers?