On March 17,th millions of Americans will be wearing green in a widespread celebration for St. Patrick's Day. However, did you know where the first St. Patrick’s Day celebration was held? It definitely was not in Ireland! The first St. Patrick’s Day parade was on March 17, 1762 in New York City after the large influx of Irish immigrants to the United States in the mid-19th century. It first took place in New York City, honoring the Catholic patron, St. Patrick.
The celebration has come a long way since then, though. If you want to engage in the festivities, here are the top 5 cities with the best celebrations.1. Chicago, Illinois
In addition to the large parade, those who participate in the Chicago celebration get quite excited about dyeing the Chicago River.
When you watch the dyeing for the first time, you initially see that the color is orange, and after a moment or two, you then see the true color magically appear. The river turns a perfect shade of green--something that many other cities have tried but have not been successful at recreating. Stephen Bailey who started the tradition said, “the road from Chicago to Ireland is marked in green. From the Chicago River to the Illinois River, then to the Mississippi, up the Gulf Stream and across the Atlantic, you can see the beautiful green enter the Irish Sea, clearly marking the way from Chicago to Ireland.”2. Kansas City, Missouri
Partying starts early in Kansas City. The Saturday before St. Patrick's day, make sure you don't miss Snake Saturday. Snake Saturday is the largest two-day Irish Festival in the area, with nearly 100,000 participants. It is not only a fun family activity, but also a philanthropic event that has given over a million dollars to charities over 30 years.
3. Boston, Massachusetts
The colorful floats, Irish and American bands, and large crowds at the St. Patrick’s Day parade does not even begin to describe all the events that Boston has to offer in the celebration this year. There is a 5K Road Race, Irish music blasting from pubs, an Irish Film Festival, and you can even explore the Irish Heritage Trail. The Boston Irish Heritage Trail celebrates the contributions of Irish immigrants and their descendants in the city and the nation over the course of more than 3 centuries.
4. Cleveland, Ohio
No matter what day of the week on which St. Paddy’s day falls, Cleveland will be hosting one of the country's largest celebrations starting at dawn and lasting far past dusk. This year, more than 10,000 people will participate in the parade by marching, riding on floats, and throwing candy to the crowd. There will be plenty of green beer, corned beef, and shamrocks.
5. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The 2016 Philadelphia St. Patrick's Day Parade will air LIVE for the first time. If bar crawls are your style, then Philly’s Erin Express is an annual bar crawl held on two consecutive weekends. It has offered free transportation to more than 20 Philly bars for over 30 years. Philly loves the holiday so much that many Philadelphians also celebrate a “St. Practice Day” the weekend before.
