San Francisco hosts the 173rd annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade Saturday. Here’s what to know.

A variety of community and cultural groups working under an umbrella organization called the United Irish Societies of San Francisco are hosting UniteSF 2024, which includes the big 173rd annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which is followed by a celebration, on Saturday. 

The parade starts at 11:30 a.m. at Second and Market streets, then travels down Market to Civic Center Plaza near City Hall, where the free party starts at 2 p.m. 

The following streets will be closed to all traffic, including Muni vehicles, beginning at 10 a.m. and lasting until the end of the parade at approximately 3:30 p.m.:

• Market between Sansome and 8th streets
• 2nd St. between Market and Harrison streets
• Polk between McAllister to Grove
• Grove between Larkin Street and Van Ness Avenue

All streets will reopen after the parade is cleared and streets are cleaned, at approximately 3:30 p.m. Additional information on street closures and SF Muni route impacts is available on the SFMTA website.

Along with Irish food, drink and dance, the festival will feature performances by The Hooks (from Sligo, the county town in Ireland); Glide Ensemble and Change Band (playing gospel); and Dublin Soul (a soul-Irish fusion group with Tony Lindsay of Santana, Omega Rae of Van Morrison’s band, traditional vocals by Amelia Hogan, and Ronan and Keith Mulligan from The Hooks, led by keyboardist Eamonn Flynn, who played on “The Commitments” soundtrack). 

The planned entertainment also includes tributes to late Irish titans Sinead O’Connor and Shane MacGowan. Visit the UniteSF website for more details on the festivities.