Final preparations are underway for the annual St. Patrick's Day parade in. The tradition continues to celebrate Irish heritage and culture.

With St. Patrick’s Day celebrations picking up around the United States, here is what you need to know about this year’s Boston St. Patrick’s Day parade.

The annual St. Patrick's Day parade launched at the intersection of Lexington and Central avenues at 2 p.m. This year's parade grand marshals were Diane Leonard and Kyle McCauley Belokopitsky, according to the parade's website.