Originally a religious holiday in honor of the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is now a day to celebrate all things Irish. This means March 17 and the days leading up to it are about Irish-themed parties, grand parades, traditional music and dances, and of course, Irish food and drink.
Regardless of your actual heritage, it is said that everyone’s a tad bit Irish during the month of March. And this may not be entirely wrong! More than 33 million Americans claim Irish ancestry, a figure that is seven times larger than the entire population of Ireland. So this might explain why elaborate and extravagant St. Patrick’s Day celebrations can be found in many cities across the US every year.
And if you still can’t decide where to go this weekend and you’re looking for the best place to celebrate this epic holiday, you have come to the right place. From traditions that range from bearded leprechauns taking over city streets, pub crawls, and river flowing with green water, we got you covered!
NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Shamrock Chicago
If a city dyes its rivers green for St. Patrick’s Day, you know they’re serious about it. Every year, thousands of revelers gather downtown to watch the members of the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Union pour dye into the river. The spectacle only lasts for about five hours, so if you’d like to have a glimpse of the river, better get there early.
Now if you think that this is all there is to Chicago on this day, you’re terribly mistaken. Clearly committed to showcasing its strong Irish influence and maintaining its “GREENest City in the World” status, the city holds its annual ShamROCK Chicago festivities. With this week-long event, the iconic buildings, monuments and streets in the City of Chicago will light up green. You can also expect three parades—Northwest side, South side, and Downtown—spread cheers through the city.
And just like New York City, Chicago also offers some great after-parade entertainment. One perfect way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day the Chicago way is at the House of Blues for its 7th annual ShamROCK Party. Dance the day and night away with live performances from Hello Weekend and the Red Carpet Riot, as well as entertainment from New Element, The Celtniks and The Great Whiskey Project. Enjoy their live Irish music, Irish-inspired food specials and of course, barrels and barrels of green beer all day.
For tickets to this epic House of Blues event, click here.
Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade
With almost a quarter of Boston’s metropolitan population claiming Irish heritage, St. Patrick’s Day is understandably a huge deal in this city. As the legend goes, the first St. Patrick’s Day parade in Boston took place in 1737. That was almost 300 years ago! The event was a modest gathering of religious Irish colonialists, and it likely didn’t come close to the massive secular drinking-focused event it’s become today.
Today, Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day will likely be one of the largest gatherings in the US. Always celebrated the Sunday closest to St. Paddy’s Day, the parade takes place early in the afternoon, winding through three miles of classic New England neighborhoods. It will feature tons of bagpipers, brass marching bands, embellished floats, talented Irish dancers and so much more.
For those looking for some live action while in Boston though, the St. Patrick’s Clash IV: Murphys Boxing at House of Blues Boston is perfect for you. The event will take place on the night before the parade (March 16) and will feature not one but two co-main events. Murphys Boxing’s Charles Foster will put his NABA Light Heavyweight Championship title on the line in a 10 round bout against Chicago’s Mike Jimenez. The event will also feature Mark Deluca and Ireland’s favorite handlebar mustached brawler Gary Spike Sullivan plus many other fighters.
The night will also feature a special “in ring” acoustic set by Dropkick Murphys. For ticket availability and schedule, click here.
So there you have it! For more St. Patrick’s Day event, check out this list here. And now, throw on some green and get ready to party at the country’s biggest St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.