People show up hours before the parade begins to claim their viewing spots and have roadside picnics, but festivities officially begin at 11 on Saturday.
The Hartford Police Department has released a traffic advisory for March 10th:
The I-84 Eastbound Capitol Avenue Exit Ramp will be closed from 9:00 a.m. through 3:00 p.m.
The following streets will be closed to vehicular traffic beginning at 10:30 a.m.:
Capitol Avenue between Main Street and Broad Street
Main Street between Capitol Avenue and Church Street
Asylum Street between Main Street and Spruce Street
Ford Street to Trinity Street
Trinity Street between Ford Street and Capitol Avenue
Conlin Whitehead Highway at Columbus Boulevard Exit (Columbus Exit will be open)Streets will begin to reopen at approximately 3:00 p.m.
Besides knowing which streets to avoid, another way to manage traffic headaches is to show up early and stay late. Independent coffee shops in Downtown and Frog Hollow will be open, as will the Starbucks on Trumbull Street.