Savannah St. Patrick’s Day preparations underway: Safety, parking, and parade rules
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Thousands of people are expected to pour into Savannah for St. Patrick’s Day, and city leaders say their top priority is making sure everyone can safely enjoy the celebration.
Security and barricades
City Manager Jay Melder said safety is the primary focus for this year’s event.
“Our number one goal for St. Patrick’s Day is that people are safe,” Melder said.
Law enforcement is stepping up security along the parade route. This year, attendees will notice more pedestrian barriers, water barricades, and engineering barricades in place.
“There will be 120 water barricades - four times as many as we had in last year’s parade - and 2,300 crowd control barricades,” Melder said. “That works out to about 3.4 miles of crowd control barricades.”
Waste and cleanup
Officials are encouraging attendees to “go green” beyond just wearing the color. Last year, crews collected more than 231 tons of trash - the equivalent of about 15 million Solo cups.
“Let’s all do our part to keep it clean and green,” said Quhannah Andrews, Senior Director of Solid Waste.
Parking and towing
The city is urging anyone planning to head downtown to plan ahead, particularly when it comes to parking.
“No parking zones are strictly enforced. Towing begins as early as midnight. Vehicles will be towed at the owner’s expense,” said Faye DiMassimo of Planning and Economic Development.
More than 30 vehicles were towed last year. Officials said they hope to reduce that number this year.
Drunk driving enforcement
Law enforcement said patrols will be ramping up this weekend, with Georgia State Patrol and Savannah Police watching for drunk drivers along the parade route.
Parade route setup rules
No personal property may be set up along the parade route until 5 p.m. Monday, March 16. Anything placed before that time will be confiscated, according to officials.
Ordinance violations and fines
Violating local ordinances can come with a steep price tag. Below is a list of common ordinances and how much someone could be charged for breaking them.
| Ordinance Violation | Fine and Fees due |
|---|---|
| One drink on-street limit | $121 |
| Size limited 16 oz 6-1215 (b)(2) | $121 |
| Size Limited to 16 oz 6-1214 (b) (2) | $121 |
| Drinking from can, bottle or glass | $121 |
| Drinking alcohol in parked motor vehicle | $148 |
| Unlawful for minor to drink/possess alcohol | $250 |
| Disorderly conduct by: urinating in public | $121 |
| Disorderly conduct | $229 |
| Public Indecency | $229 |
| Open Container outside of festival area | $121 |
| Swimming prohibited in certain waters. | $121 |
| Smoking in an enclosed public place | $90.63 |
| Consumption of alcohol in control zone without required wristband. | $67.00 |
| Cash appearance bond for all local ordinance violations | $1,000 |
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