Where to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day!

While St. Patrick's Day began as a religious holiday in honor of Ireland's patron saint, it has become a worldwide celebration of Irish culture.  St. Patrick's feast day was celebrated on March 17 as long ago as the ninth century, and became an official public holiday in Ireland in 1903.  Today, all around the world, Irish and non-Irish alike decorate with shamrocks, wear the color green and feast on corned beef and soda bread on March 17, and yes, many of them are drinking green beer.

In the U.S., there are celebrations in New York, Boston, Chicago and many other cities, big and small.  The parade in New York may be the largest in the world, taking about five hours to progress down Fifth Avenue.  Chicago uses a vegetable dye to turn the Chicago River green, matching the attire of the city's St. Patrick's Day revelers.  If you want to see the oldest parade in the world, you'll have to travel to Boston - it's first parade was recorded in 1737, many years before Dublin's first St. Patrick's Day parade, which was held in 1931.

Of course, Dublin, Ireland, is one of the best places to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.  The city holds a five-day St. Patrick's Festival with a big parade on March 17.  There are carnival rides, boat races, craft shows, live music, film premieres, comedy performances and walking tours of the city.  Many other cities, towns and villages in Ireland hold festive St. Patrick's Day celebrations as well.

You can also find St. Patrick's Day fun in some unexpected places.  If you happen to be in Buenos Aires, Argentina, head downtown to Reconquista Street, where authentic Irish pubs anchor a St. Patrick's Day party.  On Montserrat, a tiny island in the Caribbean settled by Irish refugees, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated as a public holiday.  Seoul, South Korea, hold a St. Patrick's Day parade and festival organized by the Irish Association of Korea.

With so many option for places to celebrate St. Patrick's Day travel you'll be able to enjoy the wearing of the green this year or begin planning for next.