Travel & Logistics

March 14, 2026 | Harris Theater

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Quick Summary

Venue: Harris Theater, 809 Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh, PA
Date: Saturday, March 14, 2026
Time: Doors around 11am, films start at 12pm

This year's festival falls on Pittsburgh St. Patrick's Day Parade day—a great excuse to make a full day of it! The parade starts at 10:00am and runs about 3 to 3.5 hours. Streets along the route (including Liberty Ave and Grant St) close around 7:00am and reopen in the early afternoon.

Pittsburgh St. Patrick's Day Parade route map showing the path from Liberty Ave through downtown

Parade route. We'll share a detailed Google Map closer to the event.

The simplest approach is to not bring a car downtown. Stay at a downtown hotel and walk, take the T (light rail), or grab a rideshare.

Make a morning of it: Grab breakfast, catch an hour of the parade, then head to the theater. Parade + comedy films = a pretty good Saturday.

Book a Downtown Hotel

Staying downtown the night before is the move. You wake up, walk to the theater, and you're there for the whole day without thinking about parking or road closures. Make it a weekend trip.

Prices and availability vary—check a hotel search site and compare:

Google Hotels Kayak Booking.com Expedia

Walkable options to check:

EVEN Hotel Drury Plaza Fairfield Inn Courtyard by Marriott The Westin Embassy Suites Hilton Garden Inn Omni William Penn Renaissance Wyndham Grand Kimpton Monaco Holiday Inn Express North Shore (short ride)

Take a Rideshare

Honestly? Rideshare (Uber/Lyft) is a great option for parade day. The driver deals with the detours, you get dropped off near the theater, and you don't think about parking all day. It might cost a bit more due to surge pricing, but it's low-stress.

This works whether you're local, staying outside downtown, or just don't want to deal with driving.

Take Mass Transit

By T (Light Rail)

Pittsburgh's light rail (the "T") is a great option. Park outside downtown, hop on the Red Line, and get off at Wood Street Station—a 1-minute walk from the Harris Theater.

Allegheny Station entrance

Allegheny Station (FREE)

North Shore. Park nearby and ride to Wood Street for free.

Area map
North Side Station entrance

North Side Station (FREE)

North Shore. Park nearby and ride to Wood Street for free.

Area map
Station Square entrance

Station Square — $2.75 (free as bus transfer)

South of downtown. Pay with the Ready2Ride app or at the station. If you're transferring from a bus and paid with the app or ConnectCard, the T ride is included.

Area map
Wood Street Station entrance

Wood Street Station (Your Destination)

Get off here—it's a 1-minute walk to the Harris Theater.

Area map
Annotated map showing T stations, parade route, and Harris Theater location

Click to enlarge. Shows T stations, parade route, and theater location.

Note: Trains run up to 30–40 minutes apart on Saturdays. Give yourself a buffer.

By Bus

On parade day, buses can't reach central downtown—PRT detours them to transfer points on the edges. If your bus goes to one of these spots, you're in good shape:

Penn Station (East Busway) → Walk

If your bus goes to Penn Station, this is the simplest option. From there, it's about a 0.4 mile walk to the Harris Theater—straightforward even with parade crowds.

Station Square → Transfer to T

Many buses drop riders at Station Square on parade day. From there, hop on the T (light rail) to Wood Street Station—PRT offers free transfers, so if you paid with the app or a ConnectCard, you're covered.

Heads up: On parade morning, nearly 50 bus routes are detoured starting around 7am. The exact stops (like Penn Station Stop A/C) can shift, so check PRT's website closer to the date for detour details.

Paying for Transit

There are three ways to pay for PRT buses and the T:

ConnectCard

Reloadable transit card you tap for fares. Available at stations and retailers.

Ready2Ride Mobile App

Buy fares on your phone—no card needed. Useful if you're transferring between bus and the T, since mobile fares include unlimited transfers for 3 hours.

Download Ready2Ride

Cash on Board (Bus)

You can pay with cash when you board ($2.75). Drivers do not provide change—if you pay more than the fare, the difference is not returned.

Tip: If you're transferring (bus → T or vice versa), using the app or ConnectCard means you only pay once. Cash doesn't include transfers.

If You're Driving Downtown

If you want to park downtown, book with SpotHero as early as possible and you're set. Save the garage entrance address to your phone (not just the garage name), give yourself an extra 30 minutes for detours, and don't stress about it.

Important: Avoid reserving a spot with an entrance on or near the parade route (Liberty Ave, Grant St). Streets close at 7am and don't fully reopen until early afternoon—if your garage entrance is on a closed street, you won't be able to get in.

SpotHero

Getting to Pittsburgh

Day-Of Checklist

Questions?

If you're traveling in and want a quick sanity check on your plans, don't hesitate to reach out. We're happy to help!