Every year on March 17, people take to the streets dressed in green to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Corned beef, shepherd’s pie, and Irish whiskey are everywhere, and everyone is Irish for the day.
What is St. Patrick’s Day?
St. Patrick’s Day celebrates the life of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. St. Patrick is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland and was known for using traditional Irish culture and folklore to preach. One of his most famous instances of this was his use of shamrocks—or three-leaf clovers—to explain the Holy Trinity.
After his death, St. Patrick became recognized as Ireland’s patron saint. Despite this title, the Catholic church has never officially recognized St. Patrick as a saint.
St. Patrick’s Day is on March 17 every year. March 17 is believed to be the day St. Patrick died in the 5th century.
How did St. Patrick’s Day turn green?
St. Patrick’s Day was originally celebrated with feasts honoring St. Patrick, and wearing a shamrock became customary. So, how did a day celebrating a religious figure turn into a mainstream celebration covered in green? Irish nationalism and rebellion against England.
In the 16th century, English king George III declared himself king of Ireland and gave Ireland a coat of arms depicting a harp on a blue background. As British mistreatment of the Irish continued throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, blue earned a negative connotation in Ireland. During the Irish Rebellion of 1798, Ireland changed its national symbol to the shamrock and chose green to represent the country. St. Patrick, shamrocks, and green became symbols of Irish identity.
Modern St. Patrick’s Day celebrations evolved in Industrial-era America, when Irish Americans faced discrimination and exploitation after fleeing religious persecution under British rule. Irish Americans began parading through the streets on St. Patrick’s Day to show their pride in their identity.
What about leprechauns?
In Celtic folklore, leprechauns are mischievous fairies known for using tricks to protect their pot of gold. While they’re a minor part of Irish folklore, leprechauns have become Ireland’s mascot.
Since St. Patrick’s Day has evolved into a celebration of Irish culture, leprechauns are another symbol associated with the holiday. Leprechauns are often featured in decorations and costumes for St. Patrick’s Day.
If you’re looking for a place that loves this lively holiday as much as you do, here are the 10 best places to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in the U.S.:
- New York, New York
- Chicago, Illinois
- Savannah, Georgia
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Denver, Colorado
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- San Francisco, California
- Detroit, Michigan
Top 10 St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations in the U.S.
New York, New York
Manhattan hosts the oldest and biggest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the U.S. First held in 1762, the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade has become one of NYC’s most popular annual parades. Every year, the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade draws about 150,000 participants and 2 million spectators as it marches past St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Fifth Avenue.
If you don’t feel like traveling all the way to Fifth Avenue for the parade, celebrate at one of the hundreds of Irish pubs across NYC’s five boroughs.
Chicago, Illinois
The entire city of Chicago celebrates St. Patrick’s Day every year. Chicago hosts two St. Patrick’s Day parades, one in South Chicago and the other in Grant Park, making it easy for partygoers across the city to participate in the festivities. Restaurants and bars around Chicago also offer St. Patrick’s Day specials and limited-time menu items.
But the star of the show is the Chicago River dyeing that kicks off St. Patrick’s Day. Crowds gather on the bridges along the river to watch the Chicago plumbers’ union pour 50 pounds of green dye into the Chicago River. Several boat tour companies offer St. Patrick’s Day river cruises to give partygoers a close-up view of the green Chicago River and a panoramic view of Chicago’s celebrations.
The green dye used in the Chicago River is non-toxic and does not harm the river’s ecosystem, and it fades after a day or two.
Savannah, Georgia
Aside from Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Savannah is the only place in the U.S. that recognizes St. Patrick’s Day as a legal holiday. According to the City of Savannah, Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is the third-largest in the U.S., behind New York and Chicago. The city opens the squares along the parade route at 6 a.m. on the morning of the parade, and the Land Rush begins as hundreds of parade attendees run to find a spot to watch the parade that begins promptly at 10:15 a.m.
In addition to the parade, Savannah’s Greening of the Fountain is an iconic St. Patrick’s Day event. Like the Chicago River dyeing, the Forsyth Park Fountain in Historic Savannah is dyed green a week and a half before St. Patrick’s Day. Unlike the Chicago River dyeing, the Forsyth Park Fountain remains green for the entire St. Patrick’s season.
Boston, Massachusetts
Suffolk County, where Boston is located, is one of two places in the U.S. where St. Patrick’s Day is recognized as a legal holiday. With St. Patrick’s Day declared an official holiday, Boston goes all out.
Dropkick Murphys, an American Celtic band, hold a concert in Boston every St. Patrick’s Day weekend, and the South Boston Boys & Girls Club hosts the St. Patrick’s Day 5K Road Race every year. The South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade is the city’s main event, drawing crowds of thousands of spectators.
Bostonians celebrate two holidays on March 17: St. Patrick’s Day and Evacuation Day. According to the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Evacuation Day commemorates the day in 1776 when British troops left Boston in during the Revolutionary War.
Denver, Colorado
Denver is a hotbed of St. Patrick’s Day activity. The Denver St. Patrick’s Day Parade draws thousands of partiers in Downtown Denver, and the Annual Olde Town Arvada St. Patrick’s Day Festival has free activities and entertainment for all.
Denver is the perfect place for athletes to be for St. Patrick’s Day weekend. Several annual fun runs are scattered throughout the city, offering the perfect start to the day. Continue the day at one of Denver’s annual bar crawls and explore the Irish pubs around the city.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations date back to 1771, when Pennsylvania was still a British colony. The Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Parade has passed through Logan Square and Fairmount-Art Museum for over 250 years.
In addition to the annual parade that draws crowds of thousands of people, Philly also has several bar crawls like the Erin Express, which has been going strong for over 30 years. The city’s historically large Irish population means there’s a never-ending supply of Irish pubs and restaurants to visit, and St. Patrick’s Day is the perfect time to explore them all!
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Prefer the Steelers to the Eagles? Pittsburgh also has a great St. Patrick’s Day scene. Downtown Pittsburgh has hosted the Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day Parade for over 150 years.
Like Philadelphia, Pittsburgh has plenty of bar crawls and celebrations to choose from. If that’s not your vibe, try the Pittsburgh Parade Day Dash, a 5K and 1-Mile Family Fun Run the morning of the parade.
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans isn’t just for Mardi Gras—St. Patrick’s Day celebrations span a week and a half in NOLA. Two major parades dominate the festivities: the Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Downtown Irish Club St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
The Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day Parade takes place the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day in the Irish Channel neighborhood. Like with New Orleans’ Mardi Gras parades, watch out for flying objects! It’s customary for parade participants and spectators to throw cabbages, carrots, green beaded necklaces, and other goodies.
The Downtown Irish Club St. Patrick’s Day Parade takes place on St. Patrick’s Day and travels through three neighborhoods. It starts in Marigny, passes through Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, and ends in the Lower Garden District.
St. Patrick’s Day celebrations aren’t limited to one area of the city. Suburbs all over New Orleans host block parties and parades to celebrate the holiday right at home.
San Francisco, California
Every year, the United Irish Societies of San Francisco hosts the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival, the focal point of San Francisco’s celebrations. The parade starts in Union Square and ends in front of City Hall in Civic Center. From there, the festival begins in Civic Center Plaza featuring live music, traditional Irish dancers, and food vendors.
In addition to the parade, Irish pubs all over the city host St. Patrick’s Day parties featuring live music and specialty menu items like green beer. Athletes will enjoy the St. Paddy’s Day Lucky Run, which starts at Crissy Field by the Golden Gate Bridge and offers 5K, 10K, half-marathon, 1-mile, and virtual races.
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit has a surprisingly large Irish American population. Corktown—named after County Cork, Ireland—became the center of Irish activity as Irish settlers moved to the west part of Detroit.
Today, Corktown is the center of Detroit’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities. The annual Corktown Races, Parade Day Mass, and Detroit St. Patrick’s Day Parade all take place in Corktown to celebrate the neighborhood’s Irish heritage.
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