Ireland
Ireland’s national saint – St. Patrick – is celebrated throughout the country from March 14 to March 17. Dublin is home to the biggest celebrations (4 days of city-wide events), but parades, street carnivals and parties are also held in Cork, Kilkenny, Limerick and beyond.
New York City, USA
With more than 150,000 participants, this is the world’s largest St. Patrick’s Day parade each year. Started in 1762, it’s held along Fifth Avenue in Manhattan on the Sunday before March 17. You can even watch it live on their website at nycstpatricksparade.org. It features floats, dancers, bagpipes, large crowds and plenty of green beer at the city’s Irish bars
Boston, USA
Considered to be the most Irish city in the U.S., Boston has a proud Irish heritage and holds the second-largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the U.S.. It’s held in the predominantly Irish-American neighborhood of South Boston, better known as ‘Southie.’ Each year, this parade attracts around a million spectators and is also broadcast live on TV to overseas troops.
Additionally, festivals and exhibitions are held throughout March, including the Boston Flower and Garden show.
Chicago, USA
Chicago, literally, goes green for Saint Patrick’s Day. Most notably, the Chicago River is dyed green each year. Other festivities include the ‘greening’ of the home of the Chicago Bears football team, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Tower, Trump International Hotel & Tower, the Wrigley Building, Chicago Board of Trade, Millennium Park and other buildings.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
South America’s largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration takes place in Buenos Aires each year, with more than 50,000 people participating. Ten blocks of the city are closed to traffic, allowing green-clad party-goers to take to the streets. The parade on March 17 ends up in Plaza San Martin, while other celebrations also take place in Plaza Irlanda.
Munich, Germany
Like millions of Irish all over the world, the Munich Irish and their friends celebrate this national holiday. Since 1996, Munich has held an annual St. Patrick’s Day parade. This year, the parade will be held Sunday, March 15 at noon, followed by an after party.
Birmingham, England
One of the biggest in England, the Birmingham St. Patrick’s Day parade started in 1996 and has grown significantly since then. Traditionally, the week’s festivities start with a gala event at a local venue, with entertainment that includes Irish dancers and traditional Irish music. The week before the parade, other events are held celebrating Irish heritage and culture.
Montserrat, Caribbean
Monsterrat has an interesting link to Ireland. In the 17th Century, Irish Catholic indentured servants were welcomed to the tiny volcanic island at a time when they were shunned in most other English-controlled islands of the Caribbean. The Irish mixed freely with the African slaves brought to work the English sugar plantations, and a unique Afro-Irish culture developed. St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated each year with a week-long festival culminating in St Patrick's Day. It’s also a commemoration of the slave uprising on the same day in 1768.
Sydney, Australia
Australia has marked St Patrick's Day since 1810, when the Governor of New South Wales Lachlan Macquarie declared the date an official day of celebration. Typically, the day is celebrated with entertainment, music and dancing before the main parade begins. The parade is said to be the second largest St. Patty’s Day parade, after New York City’s. Following the parade, there is a Family Day, where the Australian and Irish National Anthems are sung, followed by local Irish bands and musicians.
Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo proudly bills itself as the first St Patrick’s Day in the Northern Hemisphere and holds the largest celebration in Asia, with colorful costumes, marching bands and colorful floats. The parade, sponsored by the Embassy of Ireland, includes more than 1,500 participants and 50,000 visitors.
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