Photos: The Big, Boisterous St. Patrick's Day Parade Takes Over Midtown

The 256th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade turned midtown Manhattan and a big chunk of the Upper East Side into the usual bagpipe-playing, flag-waving, crazy-hat-wearing, wooooo-shrieking, day-drinking celebration of all things Irish.

The parade route up Fifth Avenue was pretty packed with spectators well into the 60s, except for the block where Melania Trump resides, which was a decidedly low-energy, saggy pocket in an otherwise lively spectacle. Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill were both on hand amongst the thousands of revelers, most of whom have now transformed into Dennis Duffy.

The East Village and other downtown party spots were still quiet for most of the afternoon (though that will quickly change). The only exception: McSorley's Old Ale House, the oldest and most famous Irish tavern in the city, where the battered wooden tables were crowded with foamy mugs of beer before lunchtime.

You may want to avoid Penn Station later, depending on your mood.