Almost 200,000 marchers - bagpipers, high school bands, and politicians - will parade up Manhattan's Fifth Avenue to honor the patron saint of Ireland, in a display which dates back to 1766 of the vibrancy and vitality that is Irish culture. This culture is a special component of the diversity that is the essence of New York and America.
In many ways, the parade is a celebration for all Americans. As the procession moves up Fifth Ave., thousands of well-wishers of all backgrounds cheer on the marchers. The best viewing spots are toward the north end of the parade route, away from the shopping and work-a-day crowds that throng the sidewalks below 59th Street. At selected spots along the route wave 32 large green banners, depicting the emblems of the 32 Irish counties and sponsored by the various Emerald Societies and delegations of Irish descendants in New York. The Solemn Pontifical Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral (50th St. & Fifth Ave.)
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