Six Cities that Transform for St. Patrick's Day

THD celebrated St Patrick's Day yesterday with a Special Dinner Menu as follows: The corned Beef was delicious and the Irish soda bread yummy! For dinner photos see bottom of page.

St. Patrick’s Day is an occasion for unabashed joy, as revelers gather to sing, drink, and embrace all forms of merriment. There are some places, however, whose residents take celebrating the holiday to another level, and have interwoven St. Patrick’s Day into their communities. Ireland is an obvious one, but there are numerous destinations around the world that embrace the celebration.  

1. Chicago, Illinois

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When it comes to going all out for St. Patrick’s Day, Chicago, Illinois, sets the bar high.

Few, if any, places undergo as visually striking a transformation for the holiday as the 

Windy City, which is known for dyeing the Chicago River a bright green color every 

year on March 17. 

The city’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations date as far back as 1843, a year in which

 Chicago held its first parade honoring Irish heritage. St. Patrick’s Day was officially 

declared a citywide event in 1950, but it wasn’t until 1962 that the Chicago River first

boasted its luscious emerald green color. The decision to dye the river came at the 

suggestion of the local plumbers union, a group that’s still entrusted with the honor

 of dyeing the river all these years later. If you want to see the annual dyeing of the river

 for yourself, be sure to arrive early and grab a scenic viewing spot atop one of the

 many bridges that span the Chicago River. Alternatively, you can always post up 

on the sidewalk and check out the many talented bagpipers and limber Irish step

 dancers that parade through the Chicago city streets during the annual parade.

2. Montserrat

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Located south of Antigua, the small Caribbean island of Montserrat is perhaps the last

 place you’d expect to be honoring St. Patrick, yet it is also the only location outside

 of Ireland to treat the day as a national holiday. Covering a mere 40 square miles, 

Montserrat may be tiny, but it boasts one of the most expansive and unique St. Patrick’s

 Day celebrations anywhere worldwide. The island doesn’t just enjoy St. Patrick’s Day

 for one day, however, but rather it hosts a 10-day long series of festivities. Featuring

 a wide array of activities including art exhibitions, fashion shows, and open air

 concerts, each March serves as a joyous time on the island.

3.Vilnius, Lithuania

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Though a more recent tradition than the Windy City’s, Lithuania's capital city was 

certainly inspired by their American counterpart. Every year in the central Užupis area 

of Vilnius, the Vilnelė River is dyed green in commemoration of St. Patrick, after which

 celebrants gather to witness the passing of a traditional historic steamboat. After

 the dyeing, the medieval Old Town of Vilnius comes alive with Irish music and plenty 

of thirst-quenching pub offerings. Furthermore, the Irish ambassador to Lithuania

 holds an annual lavish feast highlighted by performances from authentic Irish choirs. 

Though the Vinelė River may pale in comparison to the Chicago River in terms of size,

 the Lithuanian people’s passion for St. Patrick’s Day is just as strong as anywhere

 else in the world.

4. Sydney, Australia

Credit: Richard Milnes/ Alamy Stock Photo

The Sydney Opera House is the centerpiece of Australia’s New Year’s celebration, 

but that honor extends to St. Patrick’s Day as well. Each year, the awe-inspiring

architectural marvel is lit green in honor of the holiday, which is primarily celebrated 

in the nearby neighborhood known as the Rocks. Sydney’s St. Patrick’s Day traditions 

began with the inaugural parade in 1979. Nowadays, the streets are transformed by

 Irish dancing, language sessions, and food stalls every which way you look, plus 

there’s no shortage of Irish pubs serving celebratory libations. In conjunction with 

St. Patrick’s Day, Sydney also hosts an annual outdoor Irish film festival, showcasing

 some of the best that Irish cinema has to offer.

5. Montreal, Canada

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Second only to New York City’s in terms of longevity, Montreal’s annual St. Patrick’s Day

 parade first began in 1824. Even prior to there being an official parade, Montreal has

 celebrated St. Patrick’s Day as far back as 1759. The parade is a beloved Montreal

 institution and ran uninterrupted between 1824 and 2019 — it’s such an integral 

component of local identity, in fact, that residents defied a World War I-era cancellation

 in 1918 to celebrate against city orders. Though the parade was canceled for several

 years beginning in 2020, it makes its triumphant return in 2023 to the delight of locals

 and tourists alike. The spectacular, three-hour procession welcomes thousands of 

guests each year and features hundreds of floats and marching bands to wow crowd

 goers. The parade is highlighted by the Grand Marshal, who boasts a black top hat, 

plus delightful musical entertainment from esteemed groups such as the Pipes & Drums

 of the Black Watch Royal Highland Regiment of Canada.

6. Buenos Aires, Argentina

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Despite being many thousands of miles away from Ireland, Buenos Aires contains one 

of the world’s largest Irish populations with over 500,000 Irish residents found throughout

 Argentina. Each year, this Argentinian capital city honors El Dia de San Patricio, 

which includes a massive celebration rife with bagpipers, dancers, and even U2 tribute

 bands from time to time. In lieu of a traditional parade, Buenos Aires honors the holiday 

with a massive and joyous street party in the city center, and it’s not uncommon for 

those festivities to carry over well into the next morning.

About the author: Bennett Kleinman | Staff Writer

Bennett Kleinman is a New York City-based staff writer for Optimism Digital. He is also a freelance comedy writer, devoted New York Yankees and New Jersey Devils fan, and thinks plain seltzer is the best drink ever invented.

Meanwhile, here's more info on St Patrick's Day:

• Religious Origins:

  St. Patrick's Day is a religious holiday, originally celebrated in Ireland with religious services and feasts to honor St. Patrick, who is believed to have brought Christianity to Ireland in the 5th century. 
• Secular Celebration:

  As Irish immigrants brought the holiday to other countries, it evolved into a secular celebration of Irish culture, with parades, festivals, and the wearing of green attire or shamrocks. 
• St. Patrick's Life:

  • St. Patrick was born in Britain, not Ireland, near the end of the 4th century. 
  • At age 16, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and enslaved in Ireland for six years. 
  • He later escaped and returned to Ireland as a Christian missionary, founding schools, churches, and monasteries. 
  • He is believed to have died on March 17, around 460 A.D. 
  • He was never formally canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church, but was proclaimed a saint by popular acclaim. 
• Symbols of St. Patrick's Day:

  • Green: The color green is a symbol of Ireland and is commonly worn on St. Patrick's Day. 
  • Shamrock: The shamrock, a three-leaf clover, is another symbol of Ireland and is said to have been popularized by St. Patrick. 
  • Leprechauns: Leprechauns are mythical creatures associated with Irish folklore and are often depicted as wearing green clothing and guarding pots of gold. 

Lastly,  

My Selfie in my Green Shirt celebrating St Patricks Day, yesterday! 

Here are photos in our Dinner Table last night

 My Dinner Companions were Bob Blattman, Dean Elias and Marsha Kefer