Dallas St. Patrick's Parade & Festival: What you need to know

Dallas Mavericks St. Patrick's Day Parade & Festival is this Saturday

Kevin Vela the Board Chairman of the Greenville Avenue Area Business Association talks about what goes in to putting on an event for over 100,000 people and the great ways that families can have fun.

DALLAS - St. Patrick's Day is Friday, March 17, but there are many celebrations happening this weekend.

The Dallas Mavericks St. Patrick's Parade & Festival, which is the largest St. Paddy's Day celebration in the southwestern United States, is happening this Saturday.

The event on Greenville Avenue features a 5K run, a huge parade and a festival for more than 100,000 people looking to celebrate.

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson on St. Patrick's Day Parade

Johnson was named Grand Marshal of this year's parade.

This year is the 42nd edition of the parade and the Grand Marshal will be Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson.

Last year, Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki served as the parade's Grand Marshal.

"I have quite literally some very big shoes to fill," Johnson joked at a news conference Thursday. "I assure you this, I am at least as Irish as Dirk Nowitzki is."

The parade starts at 11 a.m. on Blackwell Street and then moves to SMU Boulevard where it ends at 2 p.m.

Expect to see bagpipers, marching bands, more than 60 elaborate floats and plenty of Jell-O shots.

Mayor Johnson said Dallas police will be out along the route to make sure that everyone gets home safely.

"We're going to have fun, but we're not going to tolerate any foolishness," Johnson said.

For parents, there will be kid-friendly areas near the Comerica Bank on Greenville Avenue and at the Mavs Zone at the corner of Greenville and Lovers. The areas will have crafts and more for the whole family.

In addition to the parade, the St. Paddy's Day Dash, a 5K race, starts at 8 a.m. from Energy Square on Greenville Ave. and University Blvd.

Plenty of bars and restaurants in the area will have deals on things like green beer.

If you want to keep the party going, Lower Greenville will be roped off for the St. Patrick's Day Block Party.

Blue Goose Cantina on Greenville Avenue closing in March

The celebration costs $20 to get in and you must be 21 or older.

Weather

Dallas St. Patrick's Day Parade Forecast

Do you need to bundle up or are you fine in just a t-shirt? FOX 4's Evan Andrews takes a look at the weather for this Saturday's St. Patrick's Day Parade.