More Than 500,000 Go Downtown for Annual Cleveland Saint Patrick's Day Parade

More than half a million people turned out for the 2016 Annual Saint Patrick's Day Parade and other Saint Paddy's Day fun on Thursday. Cleveland Police, who had a large presence downtown all day, reported no major issues with the festivities.

The Saint Patrick's Day Parade kicked off without a hitch at precisely 1:04 p.m. as planned from its starting point at East 18th on Superior. More than 139 exhibitors took part in the parade, which featured local businesses, charities, marching bands, bagpipe performances, stilt walkers, and dancers.

Locals bars and restaurants were filled to capacity as they served up mountainous piles of corned beef and seemingly endless Irish car bomb shots, and of course, enough green beer to fill a moderately sized city reservoir.

The Cleveland RTA's buses and Rapid trains were all packed with green-wearing Cleveland Saint Patrick's Day party goers as usual.

Downtown bars and restaurants will be open late, with many of them featuring live music and other special attractions to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day.