Regardless of your actual ancestry, everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day! Although this is an Irish holiday, it is widely celebrated throughout the world. So put on every green piece of clothing you have and check out our list of the Top 10 Best places to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!
Starting out with honorable mention: 11. Luquillo, Puerto Rico – Surprising as it may be, the Irish have strong history in Puerto Rico. Irish immigrants played an instrumental role in the country´s economy, politics and education. Consequently, St. Patrick´s Day is a popular holiday here and is celebrated all over the island, but one of the largest celebrations is hosted in the sea-side town of Luquillo.
10. Montreal – Despite being French in heritage, Montreal hosts a St. Patrick’s Day parade featuring a huge effigy of the big man himself. Proudly, the parade has never been cancelled despite rain, snow or other inclement weather.
9. Padua -Situated in the region of Veneto in northern Italy, Padua hosts “Irlanda In Festa”, a five-day festival dedicated to the celebration of the St. Patrick´s Day. Although Padua does not have as abundant Irish community as some other cities on the list, the festival held in this city is actually one of the largest St. Patrick´s Day celebrations in continental Europe
8. Boston, Mass. – Boasting the largest percentage of Irish ancestry in the US (16% of people in Boston claim Irish origin), St. Patrick’s Day is a BFD here and the South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade is one of the largest in the country.
7. Buenos Aires -Color us surprised – Buenos Aires is home to the 5th largest Irish community in the world and largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration in South America! Celebrations include a St. Patrick’s Day street festival featuring music and dancing, which takes up 10 blocks along Reconquista Street. And their annual parade which ends at the Plaza San Martín, features Celtic musical selections and a leprechaun costume contest. Who knew?!?!
6. Montserrat – This Island in the British West Indies is the only place outside of Ireland where St. Patrick’s Day is considered a public holiday. To celebrate, the country has a 10-day festival, which has included a St. Patrick’s Day dinner, a Kite Festival and performances by local artists.
5. Sydney – Hosts a huge themed party on the Sunday before St. Patrick’s Day that includes pre- and post- parade parties. Interestingly, this is the only celebration outside of Ireland that is planned and sponsored by the Irish Community and Government.
4. Savannah, GA – More than 300,000 people converge on the small city of Savannah each year to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with parades, floats, street vendors and outdoor performances. The city hosts a number of events leading up to the big day, including the William Jasper Green ceremony, which honors the Irish men who lost their lives in the Siege of Savannah.
3. Chicago – Famous for dyeing the Chicago River a vibrant shade of (environmentally safe) green each year, nearly 400,000 people flood the city for multiple parades throughout the city.
2. New York City – Hosts the world’s largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration with an annual attendance of nearly 2 million. The parade dates back to 1762, which, if you remember your high school history, makes this parade older than The United States!
1. Dublin – For the best party – go straight to the source. St. Patrick’s Day celebrations last 5 days in Dublin and culminate in a parade on March 17th. The Temple Bar District is the epicenter of the celebrations!
