NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) – New Haven is gearing up for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which is this Sunday. It steps off on Chapel Street at Sherman Avenue at 1:30 p.m. and ends on Grove Street at Orange Street. Crews will be getting the streets ready early Sunday morning.
It has been a busy week for staff at The Trinity Bar & Restaurant in New Haven. Co-owner Shane Carty says the day of the parade is their biggest day of the year. That means a lot of Guinness – 35 kegs of it – and 800 pounds of corned beef.
“We’ll probably have two, three, 4,000 people through here on Sunday,” said Carty.
Staff have been cooking since Monday, getting ready for the big day. It’s a celebration of more than just food and drink – it’s about Irish culture.
Related Content: Visitors Guide to the New Haven St. Patrick’s Day Celebration
The parade is so big it’s the largest single day spectator event in the state. It is expected to bring hundreds of thousands of people to the city. New Haven police will be there too to make sure everyone can enjoy it safely.
“There are going to be about 180 New Haven officers assigned to the parade route and certain areas of the downtown,” said Officer David Hartman of the New Haven Police Department.
It is already beginning to look parade-ready downtown. Many of the streets will be closed for part of the day on Sunday when the parade comes through. Police are warning people to expect traffic, but they say that is not usually a problem.
“This has been getting easier for us as the years go on,” said Hartman. “People have been more cooperative as the years go on. We don’t anticipate any turn in that trend.”
Parade Day is a fun day but also a long day for some, like Carty. He will be spending Sunday in the kitchen.
“This is my 23rd year here in New Haven and I still haven’t seen the parade because I’ve worked every single year,” said Carty.
Police will also be enforcing public drinking laws on Sunday.
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