Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations are coming early this year. Even though Saint Patrick’s Day is a week from today, on March 17, several annual events are happening this weekend. The annual “Laying of the Green Stripe” celebration kicks off the weekend on Friday evening when participants will mark the route along Fourth Avenue for the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade that takes place on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. Sunday morning, some 15,000 runners are expected take to the street for the Saint Patrick’s Day Dash. For details about the weekend events, please see the information below.

Friday, March 11
2011 Laying of the Green Stripe: 7 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Fourth Avenue from Jefferson Street to Pike Street
70 participants
Seattle Police will escort with a rolling slowdown of traffic along Fourth Avenue though downtown.
(A green biodegradable paint will be used to mark the Saturday parade route.)

Saturday, March 12
St. Patrick’s Day Parade: 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
5,000 spectators
Parade staging area closed from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Fourth Avenue between S Washington Street and James Street and on Dilling Way between Fourth Avenue and Yesler Way.
Parade route: Starts at Fourth Avenue and James Street; moves north on Fourth to Pine Street and Westlake Park.

Sunday, March 13
Saint Patrick’s Day Dash: Four waves of runners- 8:30 a.m., 8:40a.m.; 8:50 a.m., and 9:00 a.m.
15,000 participants
Staging closed at 7 a.m.: Mercer Street between First Avenue N and Fourth Avenue N;
Dash route: Starts at Third Avenue N and Mercer Street; moves east on Mercer to Eighth Avenue N; south on Eighth to Republican Street; west on Republican to Aurora Avenue N; north on Aurora to south the side of the Aurora Bridge; makes a u-turn, heads south on Aurora to the Broad Street off-ramp; then west on the off-ramp to Harrison Street; west on Harrison to finish line on Fifth Avenue N.
Closed: Viaduct Western Avenue ramp and Aurora Avenue N from Western to N 39th Street, north of the Aurora Bridge; all streets will reopen by approximately 11 a.m.
Leprechaun Kid’s Run: 8:10 a.m.
Run route: starts at Third Avenue N and Mercer Street; moves east on Mercer to Fifth Avenue N; south on Fifth to Harrison Street; west on Harrison to finish on Seattle Center grounds.

For information or questions about transit service (route 358), please call Metro Transit customer service at:
206-553-3000, or visit Metro’s Alerts Center for reroute information at: www.kingcounty.gov/metro

Seattle Mariner single game tickets on sale: 10 a.m.
Safeco Field
Expect congestion in the area around the stadium.