Hundreds of thousands poured back into South Boston for the annual St. Paddy’s Day Parade on Sunday, bringing chaos, booze and a whole lot of Boston Irish enthusiasm back for another raucous holiday celebration.
“I’ve never seen anything like this!” shouted first-time parade-goer Shannon O’Neil over the sound of pounding drums and yelling attendees. “Boston definitely does love their St. Patrick’s Day.”
The 121th annual Boston St. Patrick’s Day/Evacuation Day parade took a backwards route this year, kicking off at 11:30 a.m. in the chilly weather and winding three miles from the Andrew Square station to end on A Street just past the Broadway stop.
Boston began St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in 1737, the “first to celebrate” the holiday in North America, according to organizers.
Officials estimated crowds to near one million visitors for South Boston parade on Sunday.
Parade goers from across the city, state and country brought out typical boisterous enthusiasm for one of Boston’s most notable event, decked out in green overalls, Irish flags, glittering shamrocks, Celtics gear, creative costumes and more.
Gov. Maura Healey wore her orange Boston Dunkin tracksuit, complete with a pink bucket hat.
But the revelry was also plagued with the yearly medical emergencies, arrests and public safety challenges. Boston Police reported 17 arrests as of 4 p.m., outpacing the nine people arrested — with four more summoned to court — reported after last year’s parade.
Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn said Sunday afternoon he would call for a “formal city council hearing to discuss all aspects of today’s parade, including public safety challenges and law enforcement staffing, arrests, and medical emergencies.”
“As a veteran and community leader, I can’t support a parade where young spectators view this event as Mardi Gras,” said Flynn, whose district represents South Boston, in a statement. “Once again, many arrived into South Boston and disrespected my neighbors, our veterans and military families. That’s something I will no longer accept. Veterans, military families and South Boston residents deserve respect and the status quo is no longer an option!”
Boston public safety officials warned attendees the parade is “not a drink fest” ahead of this year’s celebrations and said drones would be deployed to watch over the parade route.
Along the route Sunday afternoon, evidence of heavy drinking was everywhere, with piles of shot bottles and cans discarded lining gutters for blocks around the route and large green BORGs (Black Out Rage Gallons) jugs strewn along the street.
One young attendee could be seen lying unconscious in vomit in an alley along West Broadway while his friend called the police. Another young woman dripped blood down her nose from a gash hastily covered by a strip of fabric tied around her forehead just blocks away, while still walking into the masses along the route with her friends.
Two apparent arrests could be seen along West Broadway as the parade moved through, with police wrestling what looked to be young men to the ground as the crowds gathered and stared. Another large group of police ran after a rowdy drunk crowd swarming around a float that broke off from the route around Dorchester St., allowing the vehicle to pass through.
Residents in houses gathered on rooftops and hung out of windows, with one girl with her leg outside tossing beers down from the second story to her friends on the porch.
The MBTA notified riders around 1 p.m. that all Red Line trains were bypassing Broadway Station near the end of the parade “due to heavy crowds” and directed riders to shuttle buses or alternative stops. Service resumed around 2 p.m.
Many new visitors and regulars alike spoke of their love for the parade Sunday, noting how special the event is to Boston.
“We’ve been coming to the parade since she was three,” said Steven Van Dyke, gesturing to a teenage daughter while standing with his family and golden retriever Bella in a green scarf in a less crowded residential section of the route. “She’s 14 now, so long time. We love the people watching, the excitement and things like that. The kids really like it all.”
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Billy Brewer said he and his wife flew up from Texas to make a Boston weekend of the St. Patrick’s Day festivities, enjoying the Dropkick Murphy’s show, the Freedom Trail and more.
“It’s the biggest parade in the country,” said Brewer. “We always wanted to experience it, so now here here we are.”
The parade included everyone from local unions and organizations, to kids’ sports and dance teams, to historical reenactors drawing boos for the “British Redcoats,” to the Celtics’ Jaylen Brown shaking hands and taking pictures.
“Wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” said Southie resident Jason Collins, wrapped in a massive Irish flag with as shamrock tattoo on his face and holding a solo cup of green beer. “What an awesome day, an awesome crowd. I love Boston.”
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