Every year, thousands of people flood the streets of Savannah for St. Patrick’s Day, and every year Savannah-Chatham police are “all hands on deck” to help keep the city’s best-loved celebration safe for festivalgoers.
Sgt. Eddie Grant says the massive influx of people for the holiday is a unique challenge, but metro is prepared. There will be an increased number of officers patrolling the festival area both on foot and in police vehicles, Grant said. Other local law enforcement agencies will be in the area to provide additional support to metro.
“They’ll be there to ensure everyone’s safety and to ensure that everyone has a good time while keeping everyone safe in the city and the surrounding areas,” Grant said. “The support is vital, especially during the parade period. To carry on an event like this, it really takes the assistance of partnering agencies and our surrounding agencies that come into the festival area to help out.”
This year’s three-day festival will begin on St. Patrick’s Day, and will end on Saturday. Metro’s designated festival control zone will be the area between Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and East Broad Street, with the Savannah River as the northern border. The southern border on the west side of Drayton Street will be Broughton Street, and the southern border street on the east side of Drayton Street will be Bay Lane.
Alcohol
Those consuming alcoholic beverages in public streets and areas within the control zone will be required to wear wristbands from 10 a.m. to midnight on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Wristband enforcement begins after the parade.
Wristbands can be purchased for $5 at locations throughout the downtown area. A map showing these locations can be found at www.riverstreetsavannah.com. Wristbands are not required inside establishments serving alcohol.
Portable restrooms will be placed in the area for patrons. Urination outside the legitimate restroom areas will lead to criminal charges.
The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety warns those consuming alcohol that “the luck of the Irish won’t be able to save motorists who get caught driving drunk.” GOHS spokeswoman Katie Fallon says that there will be an increased level of high visibility enforcement and patrols during the festival.
“You may feel like you’ve heard the message before, but we’ll keep hammering it home until there are no more alcohol-impaired fatalities,” GOHS Director Harris Blackwood said in a press release. “We’re still encouraging everyone to make a plan before they leave home. Understand the danger of drinking and driving and make the right decision. Even one drink is dangerous if you are behind the wheel of a car.”
GOHS asks that partygoers download the Drive Sober, Georgia smartphone app, which offers a database of safe and sober ride options.
Parking and traffic
Many of the city of Savannah’s downtown parking garages will operate on 24-hour schedules during the three days of the festival. Detailed garage schedules are available on the city of Savannah’s website.
Savannah River ferries will operate from 7 a.m. to midnight during the festival. The ferries will only run from the docks at the Waving Girl statue to the Trade Center.
Chatham Area Transit buses will run from Indian Street and MLK Jr. Boulevard to the Trade Center parking lot from noon to 1 a.m. during the festival.
All deliveries to businesses in the festival area and City Market must occur between the hours of 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. on Thursday and Friday and from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturday.
All vehicles parked in the staging area of the parade and along the parade route will be towed if they are not moved by 6 a.m. Thursday. The staging area runs from Henry Street to Gaston Street between Whitaker Street and Habersham Street.
Documents required for the retrieval of vehicles towed on parade day will be available until 4 a.m. Friday at metro headquarters, located at 201 Habersham St.
Streets along the parade route will be closed starting at 8 a.m. The parade route is available at savannahnow.com/stpatricksday and in the SavannahNow St. Patrick’s Day app.
All squares along the parade route will be closed to the public from midnight Wednesday until 6 a.m. Thursday.
Road closures during the festival include:
• Ramp access to River Street will close as early as 7 a.m. Wednesday. At 4 p.m. Wednesday, River Street will be closed to vehicles for the duration of the festival.
• Streets within and surrounding City Market will close as early as Wednesday.
• Jefferson Street will remain closed throughout the festival
• Indian Street will be closed throughout the festival to clear the way for Chatham Area Transit buses
Metro will provide real-time traffic updates at www.scmpd.org/stpatsfestival.
Weather
John Quagliariello, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said there will be a 30 percent chance of rain before noon on St. Patrick’s Day and will increase to 40 percent later in the afternoon. The projected high for the holiday will be around 80 degrees.
Pets and prohibited items
Pets are not allowed in the festival area, with the exception of leashed service animals and the pets of residents who live in the festival area.
The following items are prohibited in the festival area:
• Coolers.
• Exotic animals.
• Skates and skateboards.
• Bicycles.
• Sparklers.
• Bang snaps.
• Smoke bombs.
• Any items that could be dangerous or disruptive.