On March 14, 2008, the City of Savannah will observe the 184th St. Patrick’s Day Celebration and will once again witness the grand parade through downtown Savannah, commemorating the Patron Saint of Ireland. And for the 184th time, the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department will play a vital role in the security of many of the activities and, in particular, the annual parade.

SCMPD reminds all parade attendees of certain parking and street closing restrictions. The parade staging area will be the first area affected by parking restrictions the day of the parade. Parking in and around the staging area and along the parade route will be clearly marked “NO PARKING”, with white bags over affected parking meters. Traffic Division officers will be posting notices reminding residents of parking restrictions prior to and during Thursday’s parade. In addition, other strategic areas of the Festival Area will be affected, to include “NO PARKING” bags on meters. The “NO PARKING” bags are not to be removed by anyone! The penalty for removing the bags will involve towing the vehicle, towing charges and associated fines. Affected areas without meters will be posted within the immediate block and at Parking Pay Stations with “NO PARKING” signs.

The “Festival Area” for the St. Patrick’s Day celebration is defined as follows: North of Jones Street. to the River, East of Boundary Street & Martin Luther King Blvd., and West of East Broad St. All local ordinances concerning the Festival will be strictly enforced in this area. In this area, all alcoholic drink cups must be paper, plastic or styro-foam, and 16 ounces or less. No open alcoholic containers of any kind will be allowed in the Festival Area.

The map indicates the path of the parade route. People living, visiting and/or parking along the route are reminded that all cars must be removed no later than 6:30am before the parade. All vehicles illegally parked in areas affected by the parade will be towed at owner’s expense. Affected motorists must obtain a vehicle release form from police headquarters at Habersham and Oglethorpe Streets in order to claim any towed vehicle. Proof of ownership is required to obtain a vehicle release form from SCMPD.