St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations
Sláinte! Top Five US Cities to Visit for St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations
Although St. Patrick’s Day is traditionally a religious holiday, this day is also a day for celebration. It is a day celebrated all around the world. Cities hold grand parades, decorated with green shamrocks, gold coins and filled with mischievous leprechauns. People enjoy traditional Irish cuisine all guzzled down with a swig of green beer! Families gather to partake in all the festivities by dressing up in wild costumes, painting children’s faces with shamrock’s and even bringing along the family pet. And, even though this day is mostly to promote culture, and attend mass, people can have the opportunity to be Irish for one day and experience all things Irish like learning a traditional dance of an Irish tune. This year partake in an event; enjoy a day of fun and laughter in one of these amazing cities that have been doing it for years! Here are the top five US cities to visit for an extraordinary St. Patrick’s Day celebration.
* Savannah, Georgia
This year’s Parade, the 186th edition, will take place on Wednesday, March 17th. In honor of Saint Patrick’s dedication to Christianity, the day will start with the celebration of Mass at the beautiful Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. The Parade will step off at 10:15 am. It is expected that over 400,000 people will visit Savannah to help celebrate the second largest Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in the United States. www.savannahsaintpatricksday.com
* New York, New York
The St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Fifth Avenue is a New York City’s tradition. The Parade marched for the first time 247 years ago, on March 17, 1762 - fourteen Years before the Declaration of Independence. The parade is held to honor the Patron Saint of Ireland and the Archdiocese of New York and celebrates Irish Faith and heritage. The parade takes off from Fifth Avenue on St Patrick’s Day at 11:00am www.nyc-st-patrick-day-parade.org
* Chicago, Illinois
The Downtown Chicago Parade begins at 12:00 noon, on Saturday March 13th. The parade is held the Saturday before the actual calendar date of Saint Patrick’s Day which allows families to participate in the festivities without having to remove their children from school. Dyeing the Chicago River Green!! This is also scheduled for Saturday March 13th at 10:45AM, and can be best viewed from the East side of the bridge at Columbus Drive or upper and lower Wacker Drive between Columbus and Lake Shore Drive. www.chicagostpatsparade.com
* Boston, Massachusetts
Historians believe that the first St. Patrick’s Day Parade ever conducted in America took place in Boston in 1737, when the newly formed Charitable Irish Society held a brief procession up Tremont Street in honor of Ireland’s patron saint. Today, Massachusetts boasts seven parades across the Commonwealth. These expressions of cultural and ethnic pride are family-events, free and open to the public. This year’s parade season opens on Saturday, March 6, when the Cape Cod Irish parade gets underway in Yarmouth. On Sunday, March 14, Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade takes place in South Boston starting at 1:00PM (ET). www.IrishMassachusetts.com
* Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The Irish in Philadelphia first celebrated St. Patrick’s Day in 1771, five years before the Declaration of Independence was signed! The first documented St. Patrick’s Day Celebration Parade in Philadelphia was held in 1771, celebrating over 240 continuous years of celebrations. Throughout the years this celebration has honored this religious and cultural celebration. Thousands of marchers and spectators in their green bedecked finery, the bands and floats, the flags and music highlight one of the grandest parades in a city that loves parades. www.philadelphiastpatsparade.com
