Security and safety are top priorities at the Dallas St. Patrick's Day parade
DALLAS (CBSNewsTexas) - The Dallas St. Patrick's Day parade will once again roll down Greenville Avenue, and police will be out in force to keep the crowds safe.
The 42nd Dallas St. Patrick's Day Parade and Festival begins at 9 a.m. on March 11 and festivities will last until 3 p.m. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to pack the sidewalks running through lower Greenville.
Kevin Vela, GAABA Chairman of the Board calls it the largest single event in Dallas.
"You think about how many people go to TX OU or different games. We have more than those things. So come out, have a lot of fun, be with the community," he said.
To keep the crowds safe, organizers of the event say they have come up with a three-tiered approach to safety.
The first tier is strategic road closures. The parade will roll on Greenville Avenue starting at Blackwell Street and ending on SMU Boulevard. Several streets that cross the parade route will be closed. If you are driving through the area, plan accordingly.
Organizers say the second tier of their security plan involves a strong police presence. Dallas police say they will have over 200 officers and commanders there as well as a number of off-duty and undercover officers in the crowd.
"I want everyone to turn up, to have fun," said Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson. "But I am here to tell you, we're going to turn up and have fun, and we're going to do it safely. We are going to make sure everyone gets home safely."
Finally, parade organizers say they plan to clear the parade quickly to prevent unruly behavior.
"Once you clean the area, it's a deterrent for any bad behavior," Vela said. "Once clean, the area resumes to normal operation. We've found the sooner it looks and feels secure, it actually is."
Click here for more information about the Dallas St. Patrick's Day parade.