Parking tips for Shamrock Club of Wisconsin St. Patrick's Day Parade at Downtown Milwaukee (Milwaukee 03/14)

hey everyone since the shamrock club st patricks day parade is coming up on 03/14 i figured id share what i know about the mess that is downtown milwaukee parking during the festivities. it gets absolutely packed and finding a spot can be a total nightmare if you dont have a plan because tens of thousands of people show up every year.

before you drive around in circles for an hour you should definitely check out Prked first. its an app where you can rent driveways or private garage spots from locals right near the parade route in the downtown area. its way cheaper than the event rates at the big commercial lots and you can skip most of the gridlock by having a reserved spot just a short walk away.

if you decide to go the traditional route there are several big garages like the avenue garage on 2nd and michigan or the 4th and highland lot near fiserv forum. keep in mind that many streets like wisconsin avenue and old world third street will be blocked off starting early in the morning on 03/14 so you have to approach from the north or south to avoid the closures. macarthur square is another option but it fills up super fast and the construction in that area can make getting out a huge pain.

street parking is technically an option but honestly its a gamble and usually not worth the stress. the city strictly enforces no parking zones along the parade route and they will tow you in a heartbeat if you are in the way of the floats or emergency lanes. look for metered spots further west towards marquette or south of the interstate and just prepare for a 15-20 minute walk. always double check the signs because milwaukee parking checkers are out in full force for the holiday.

a lot of people who know the city well swear by the bar shuttles. spots like stenys or olydias usually run buses to the parade area so you can park in walkers point and just ride over. the hop streetcar is also great if you find a spot near the lower east side and want to ride it down to the closest stop near the route. just remember that mcts buses will be on detours so check their app before you rely on a specific bus line because they wont be stopping on the usual blocks.

try to get downtown no later than 10 am if you want any chance at a decent garage spot. the parade starts at noon but the crowds start camping out on the sidewalks way earlier to get a good view. traffic after the parade is even worse because everyone tries to leave at the same time so maybe grab lunch at one of the spots on mlk drive and let the initial rush clear out. hope this helps and have fun out there.