New York: St Patricks Day
 

I will be in New York for the first time on St Patricks Day. Where does the parade actually start and finish and what time of the day. Not sure which areas to sight see or shop in if I do not want to get caught in the crowd. Would it be a good day for the Statten Island Ferry, Brooklyn Bridge walk OR shopping in SoHo, Little Italy?
Any advice would be great.........

The parade travels up 5th Ave. from 43rd or 44th St. to 86th. St. You will not be impacted by the crowds if you visit the places mentioned in your post. Just avoid using a taxi to get crosstown if it means crossing 5th Ave.

Madison,
The parade starts at 40th and 5th and goes up 5th to 96th, where it turns east for a few blocks. My experience is if you go to the west side of the street above 72nd and get there early (around 11:00) you'll have an excellent vantage point. Probably front row, with little in terms of crowds.

The beginning of the parade is the best. The most touching moment I experienced there was when I stood on the steps of the Met, on the March 17th after 9/11, when the entire parade stopped, turned south, and had a moment of silence.

Let me say, it takes something monumental to make that parade go quiet, and the silence was defeaning. Quite a thing.

The parade starts at 11 am. It begins at 44th St. (not 40th) and ends at 86th (not 96th) - this is from the parade website.

I was in NYC for my 40th birthday on St. Patrick's day in 1998. It was also my first trip to NYC. We avoided the parade by going downtown and taking the Staten Island ferry. Afterwards we stopped at Fraunces Tavern for our first drinks of the day around noon. The place was filled with investment bankers pounding down Irish coffees, which looked to be about 2/3 whiskey and 1/3 coffee! A bunch of them sang happy birthday to me. It was great fun. I'm sure you'll have a blast.

It does NOT begin or end in Montana where this is posted!

Sorry John I posted in New York and General Interest, do not know why it also appeared in Montana..

No need to be sorry. Just wondering how it ended up in Montana. Now I know!!