Cities With the Largest Saint Patrick's Day Celebrations
Saint Patrick's Day celebrates the feast day of the patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick. Saint Patrick is cited for having brought Christianity to Ireland, converting many pagans to Christianity. It is annually celebrated on March 17, and festivities have spread from Ireland to the rest of the world. Celebrations include parades, feasting, drinking, traditional Irish dancing, and of course, the wearing of green clothing.
5. Dublin, Ireland
Saint Patrick’s Day is the perfect opportunity to show Irish pride in the capital of Ireland itself! Many Dubliners choose to attend live concerts and spend time with friends and family. The annual Saint Patrick Parade in the city is marked by different shows of Irish culture, including performances by local Irish bands. In 1995, the Saint Patrick's Festival was established in Dublin, which sets out to showcase the achievements of the Irish worldwide.
4. Montreal, Canada
On March 19, 2017, Montreal will hold its 194th Saint Patrick's Day celebration. Created in 1824, the parade holds the title of the oldest Saint Patrick's Day parade in all of Canada. The two hour long parade has been organized by the United Irish Societies of Montreal since 1928. Unlike other Saint Patrick’s Day around the globe, Montreal celebrates the day on the Sunday closest to the 17th of March and not on the 17th itself.
3. Boston, United States
Boston, Massachusetts has one of the largest populations of residents with Irish background in the United States, and its celebrations are reflective of that. Not only is there the Saint Patrick's Day Parade in South Boston, but the annual House of Blues concert, Irish Heritage Trail, and the Irish Film Festival. The parade, however, is by far the most popular of the events attracting an average of one million spectators annually. Boston has a tradition of slashing beer prices for for the day in the city's many Irish pubs.
2. New York, United States
New York City is renowned for Largest Saint Patrick's Day parade in the world, as well as the oldest. The first parade was held in 1762, fourteen years before the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The city’s parade marches on Fifth Avenue and passes by St. Patrick’s Cathedral. In 2002, the parade was dedicated to the victims of 9/11, particularly the first responders, police, firefighters and medical personnel. In 2011, the city celebrated its 250th parade.
1. Chicago, Illinois
The city of Chicago, Illinois, marks Saint Patrick’s Day with a downtown parade and the famous annual river dyeing. The river's first dye came to be by accident, when plumbers spilled fluorescin dye into the river for the purpose of tracing pollution discharge. The river reacted by turning a vibrant green. The dyeing of the river is followed by a massive parade that matches for approximately three hours.
