Get ready for Newport’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade this Saturday, March 15, 2025. The festivities start at 11 a.m., with the parade kicking off from Newport City Hall.
The parade will make its way through the city, starting on Broadway and winding through Washington Square, Thames Street, and America’s Cup Avenue. It wraps up at St. Augustin’s Church on Carroll Avenue.
Heads up from Newport Police Lieutenant Joseph C. Carroll: parking restrictions will be in place from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. along the parade route and nearby areas.
“Expect heavy traffic in the city and parking is limited,” Carroll says in a press release. “Public parking is available at the Gateway Center on America’s Cup Avenue and the Waterfront Lot on Mary Street.”
To keep everyone safe and make sure city rules are followed, the Newport Police Department is putting both uniformed and plainclothes officers along the parade route.
Carroll adds, Newport Police “will be strictly enforcing Newport City Ordinances (open containers of alcohol in public, underage drinking, disorderly conduct and noise violations). The Police Department will have a strong presence to make this a fun, safe, and family friendly event.”
There’s a cool tradition to watch for: Newport Police Chief Ryan Duffy will march in the parade carrying a historic Irish shillelagh. This wooden walking stick, given to the department in 1971 by local resident John McPolland, was originally a gift from the Dublin Ireland Police Department.
“Every year since it was donated, the Newport Police Chief has carried this shillelagh in the St. Patrick’s Day parade,” Carroll explains.
If you’re planning to go, the organizers suggest getting there early. They’ll start setting up for the parade at 9 a.m.
