UPPER EAST SIDE, Manhattan (PIX11) -- It’s billed as the oldest and largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the world, but will it also be the wettest?
The 264th New York City St. Patrick’s Day parade will start at 11 a.m. Monday rain or shine, like it has since 1762.
150,000 marchers will go up Fifth Avenue from 44th to 79th Street. Event organizers expect 2 million spectators many will be dressed in green, including possibly green ponchos and green umbrellas.
“I’ve got my rain jacket and my green sweater. I’m going ready for water,” Alexandra Leighton, an enthusiastic parader-goer, told PIX11 News. “From what I saw on the weather the whole coast is going be flooded out so if anyone can fun in the rain it’s the Irish,” she added.
The Monday morning rain is expected to end just as the parade steps off Fifth Avenue.
But with possible wind gusts surging up to 40 mph, and lots of downpours before the start of the parade, these tourists from Croatia are preparing for a rainy windy morning as they plan to arrive early to get a good spot.
“I don’t want rain,” Stella Mikacinc, a tourist from Croatia, told PIX11 News. “I hope it will surprise me,” she added.
“We’re hoping for no bad weather, but we have umbrellas ready and we hope to see the parade,” Matej Ciper, another tourist from Croatia passing by told PIX11 News.
Debbie Joffe Ellis, a New Yorker walking on Fifth Avenue added, “What’s a little wetness when you get together, cheer, have a good time, probably a little Irish whiskey, and have fun.”
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