South Boston St. Patrick’s Parade to follow new route for 250th Evacuation Day

Events

Organizers say the change honors Henry Knox’s historic march and will help manage larger crowds.

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade will make its way through Boston March 15 — but in a bit of a different fashion. 

Instead of ending at Andrew Square, the parade will start there, according to a press release from the Allied War Veterans Council, which organizes the annual event. Additionally, the Medal of Honor Park on M Street will now be a designated “family-friendly zone.”

This year’s change to start at Andrew Square will adjust the route slightly: After passing Thomas Park, the procession will take G Street to East 6th Street. Then, it will proceed back as normal onto K Street. 

The 11:30 a.m. start time will remain the same.

Organizers said the change is designed both to commemorate a major milestone in Boston history and to better accommodate large crowds expected this year. 

This St. Patrick’s Day marks the 250th anniversary of Evacuation Day — when British troops withdrew from Boston during the Revolutionary War on March 17, 1776. 

A pivotal moment leading up to that departure involved Gen. George Washington’s decision to dispatch Henry Knox, a young bookseller, to Fort Ticonderoga in New York to retrieve dozens of cannons from the British. Knox and his team hauled dozens of cannons hundreds of miles through harsh winter conditions. The cannons were eventually used to fire on British positions, contributing to the decision by the British to abandon the city by boat. 

According to the Allied War Veterans Council, this year’s adjusted parade route is intended to mirror the path Knox took as he transported the cannons that helped fortify Dorchester Heights.

The changes are also aimed at improving crowd flow, the council said.

City Councilor Ed Flynn, who represents South Boston, told The Boston Globe the change was “fitting and proper” for the occasion, given the anniversary. 

“We’re proud of our history in South Boston, and we recognize the historic time we’re in and the contributions made up at Dorchester Heights,” Flynn said. “It’s about celebrating not only Boston history, but American history.”

Flynn said that residents of Andrew Square had petitioned for the change in light of the anniversary, and that parade organizers viewed it as a “fair request.”