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Just for Fun: St. Patrick's Day Celebrations Across the U.S. (and beyond!)

New York City's St. Patrick's Day parade can attract up to 2 million people (counting parade participants and spectators). It is not only the biggest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the U.S., it’s the biggest in the world! However, there are also some other cities across the U.S. (and around the world) where St. Patrick's Day celebrations and parades attract thousands to hundreds of thousands of participants and spectators. Below is a summary of some of the biggest St. Patrick’s Day parades (and related festivities) in the U.S. (and globally)!

1. New York City (attracts up to 2 million attendees!) - Saturday March 16th, 11 am pm - 4:30 pm Eastern time (Start: 5th Avenue & 44th Street, End point: 5th Avenue & 79th Street, next to Central Park). The first New York St. Patrick's Day parade was held on March 17, 1762 — fourteen years before the signing of the Declaration of Independence! This parade will include an estimated 250,000 participants this year and up to 2 million spectators. That's a lot of people wearing green!
Website: https://www.nycstpatricksparade.org/

2. Chicago (projected attendance: 800,000 – 1,000,000 people). Saturday, March 16th. The first Chicago St. Patrick Day parade happened event in 1858. Every year, the Chicago St. Patrick’s Day parade begins with the dyeing of the city's main river. The Chicago River is set to be dyed green Saturday, March 16 at 10 a.m. The Chicago Parade takes place on ​Saturday, March 16th starting around noon.
Website: https://www.chicagostpatricksdayparade.org/

3. Boston (projected attendance: 600,000 – 800,000 people). Sunday, March 17th. Website: https://southbostonparade.org/

Boston has a very large and active Irish-American community. This year's parade in Boston takes place Sunday, March 17th, starting at 1:00pm (start point Broadway T Station in South Boston). The Boston parade also celebrates Evacuation Day which marks the end of Boston's occupation by British troops (March 17, 1776).

4. Philadelphia* (Estimated attendance: 500,000). *Happened already (Sunday March 10th). The Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Parade was first celebrated in 1771. Website: http://phillyparade.com/

5. Cleveland (Approximately 450,000 – 500,000 people expected). Sunday, March 17th, 2 pm. This year, the Cleveland Parade is celebrating its 175th anniversary. The Cleveland Parade starts at 2 pm (Superior Ave. at E. 18th St). Website: http://www.stpatricksdaycleveland.com/

6. Kansas City (Attracts up to 400,000). Sunday March 17th, 11 am. The first Kansas City St. Patrick's Day Parade was held 50 years ago in 1974. Location: Linwood and Broadway. Website: https://www.kcirishparade.com/

7. Savannah, GA (*Reportedly attracts hundreds of thousands of spectators). Saturday, March 16th, 2024 (Starting @ 10:15 AM , intersection of Gwinnett and Abercorn). This year reportedly marks the 200th anniversary of the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Savannah!
Websites: https://savannahsaintpatricksday.com/ &
https://www.savannahga.gov/1165/St-Patricks-Day-in-Savannah

8. Holyoke, MA (Attracts 300,000 – 400,000 people). Holyoke's St. Patrick’s Day 10k race: Saturday, March 16th. Parade: Sunday, March 17th. First parade: 1952. Holyoke only has a population of around 45,000, but its St. Patrick's festivities can attract an estimated 300,000+ spectators according to one source!
Website: https://holyokestpatricksparade.com/

9. Pittsburgh (Estimate attendance 300,000 – 350,000 people). Saturday, March 16th, 10 am. St. Patrick's Day celebrations have been going on for approximately 150 years in Pittsburgh, where 20% of the city's residents are reported to have some Irish heritage.
Website: https://pittsburghstpatricksdayparade.com/

10. The Quad Cities (Iowa and Illinois) (Approx. attendance, 200,000). Saturday, March 16th (11 am). Starting in Rock Island, Illinois, the parade route crosses the Rock Island Centennial Bridge (over the Mississippi River) and ends in Davenport, Iowa. Website: https://www.stpatsqc.com/GrandParade.html

Other notable U.S. cities for St. Patrick's Day Celebrations & Parades:

Other Places around the world with great St. Patrick's Day Celebrations:
Source: https://expatexplore.com/blog/top-places-celebrate-st-patricks-day/

  • Dublin, Ireland (St. Patrick's Day is an official national holiday in Ireland!)
  • Galway City, Ireland (3-day festival of free events)
  • London, England
  • Buenos Aires, Argentina ("El Dia de San Patricio")
  • Padua, Italy
  • Tokyo, Japan
  • Montserrat, Caribbean (*The only place outside of Ireland where St. Patrick’s Day is a national holiday).