America’s Irish population increases exponentially each March when the country celebrates that quintessentially Irish holiday, St. Patrick’s Day. Seemingly every town, city, and village dons the green, tunes up the bagpipes, and prepares to serve a few green beers. However, some celebrations are better than others. If you truly want to experience Irish in a Celtic way, make plans now to visit one of these cities:
1. Boston. Home to the largest Irish-American population in the United States, Boston celebrates St. Patrick’s Day on a grand scale. The parade (on March 18 in 2012) is the oldest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the world and starts at the Broadway T (subway) station before winding its way through the city’s most Irish of neighborhoods, South Boston. After the parade, you can continue your Irish exploration by traveling Boston’s Irish Heritage Trail, a collection of 20 sites that help tell the story of Boston’s Irish roots from the 16th century to the present.
2. Dublin, Ohio. One of 10 cities in the United States with this name, the Columbus, Ohio, suburb is the Dublin that truly embraces its Irish roots. Dublin, Ohio, gets a jump on the holiday by hosting the festivities on the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day (March 10 in 2012). The celebration includes a mile-long parade through the center of town, a pancake breakfast, and a post-parade inflation celebration with helium balloons and refreshments.
3. New York City. Boston’s parade may be the oldest, but there’s no question that New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day parade is the largest, drawing close to 2 million spectators each year. The parade (on March 17 in 2012) begins on 44th Street, turns down Fifth Avenue past St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and ends at 86th Street. Other St. Patrick’s Day events include an open house at the Irish Arts Center on West 51st Street, Irish walking tours, and, of course, the plethora of Irish pubs that dot the city.
4. Savannah. You may think that this Georgia city is an unlikely place to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Think again! The city’s annual parade has been stepping off since 1813 and draws more than 400,000 revelers each year. The parade (on March 17 for 2012) begins at Abercom and Gwinnett streets and snakes through the city’s historic park district, where the fountains have been dyed green for the day. Mass is held at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist prior to the 10:30 a.m. parade.
5. Chicago. Even the river is green for St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago. After the river dyeing ceremony, the parade (on March 17 for 2012), one of the largest in the country, starts at Columbus and Balbo drives and proceeds down Columbus through Grant Park to Monroe Drive. Other St. Patrick’s Day activities include fish frys, Celtic concerts, and all the green beer you can drink.
Other Articles about St. Patrick’s Day by Sandy Mitchell:
Green Drinks for St. Patrick’s Day