Boston parade celebrates Irish heritage with over a million attendees

The South Boston St. Patrick’s Day parade is set to attract over a million attendees, celebrating Irish heritage and Evacuation Day. This year’s chief marshal is retired Navy Lt. Cmdr. Alanna Devlin Ball, a local and gold medalist from the Invictus Games. The parade will start earlier than usual, aiming to reduce issues of violence and public intoxication seen in previous years. Organizers emphasize honoring heritage and service as key goals for the event. In past years, the parade faced controversy over the exclusion of gay rights groups, which was resolved in 2015 when two groups participated. Other cities, including Chicago and Philadelphia, are also celebrating St. Patrick’s Day this weekend.