On Tap

St. Patrick's Day Tradition and Ruth Jackson Family Day

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Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Reminder:

Don’t forget we spring forward this Sunday as Daylight Saving Time begins. Remember to move those clocks and watches ahead by one hour. Also, be sure to test your smoke detectors and replace any batteries if needed.

Events:

If you're venturing out into the rain this weekend, Saturday is your best bet for fun. It will be full of parades, music, food, and good ol’ family fun in the downtown and Visitacion Valley areas.

Bagpip players in green kilts marching along Market Street during a sunny day.

Irish Pipers Band of San Francisco during the St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 14, 2015. Photo credit: David Yu/Flickr.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival

Saturday, 11:30 a.m.

Downtown & Civic Center

SF's St. Patrick’s Day parade is one of the city’s oldest and most popular cultural events. Marking its 165th anniversary, the parade will see Market Street awash in the green, white, and orange of the Irish tricolour. This year’s festivities will also commemorate the centennial anniversary of the Easter Rising of 1916, a seminal event in Ireland’s push for full independence from the United Kingdom.

Be sure to visit the Civic Center/U.N. Plaza for activities before, during and after the parade. Celebrate Irish history and culture with live music, food, arts and crafts, and more. Family friendly events will make for an enjoyable and memorable day.

Due to street closures and heavy pedestrian activity, traffic in the Civic Center and downtown areas will be heavy. Parade watchers can help ease congestion by using the Muni Metro Subway to any downtown station.

Muni service note: 2 Clement, 5 Fulton, 6 Haight/Parnassus, 7 Haight/Noriega, 8 Bayshore, 9 San Bruno, 10 Townsend, 12 Folsom/Pacific, 19 Polk,  21 Hayes, 27 Bryant, 30 Stockton, 31 Balboa, 38 Geary, 38R Geary Rapid, 45 Union/Stockton, and F Market will be affected.

Ruth Jackson Family Day

Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Visitacion Valley

Now in its 18th year, the Visitacion Valley Family Day at Hertz Playground provides community members a chance to gather for a fantastic day of fun and entertainment that will feature a parade, car show, performances, a raffle, and plenty of activities to keep the kids busy.

The parade will start at Velasco Avenue and Santos Street proceeding along Santos onto Sunnydale Avenue culminating on Hahn Street at Visitacion Avenue.

Due to street closures and heavier than usual pedestrian activity, consider using public transportation. The 8 Bayshore, 9 San Bruno and 56 Rutland routes will get you close to the festivities.

Muni service note: The 8 Bayshore, 9 San Bruno and 56 Rutland routes will have re-routes.

Winter Storm Information:

The Department of Emergency Management has prepared a Comprehensive Guide to Everything El Niño in order to prepare and assist people on what to know and what to be aware of during the storms. We've been preparing for months and know you'll want to plan your trip before you head out into inclement weather. Sign up for Muni Alerts to get real-time service updates on your most used Muni routes and lines.

Construction Alert:

Work continues for the Balboa Park Station Area and Plaza Improvements project, affecting the eastbound 8 Bayshore, 8BX Bayshore Express, 43 Masonic, 54 Felton, 88 BART Shuttle and 91 Owl bus stop at Balboa Park. For complete details, visit our service alert page.

“On Tap” gives you a heads up about the big events in town and what Muni routes and lines will get you to the party. Look for this feature to be posted usually on Wednesdays for a look ahead to the weekend.