Saint Patrick's Day

Saint Patrick's Day History

Saint Patrick's Day is a cultural and religious holiday observed by both Irish and non-Irish communities. It is traditionally a commemoration of Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. Furthermore, it is also a celebration of the heritage and culture of the Irish. The holiday has cultural and religious significance, displaying Irish symbols such as the shamrock and the color green.

The celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day in the United States goes back to the 18th century. It was first celebrated in Boston in 1737 and in New York City in 1762, mainly by Irish immigrants as a means of preserving and celebrating their Irish heritage. Today, it serves as a time for Americans of all backgrounds to celebrate Irish culture by wearing green, eating Irish meals, participating in parades, and engaging in celebrations across the country.

In America, Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated annually on March 17th, regardless of the day of the week. This date correlates with the death of Saint Patrick. Cities, such as Chicago and New York, host grand Saint Patrick's Day parades, showcasing numerous floats and performers. It is common to see participants and spectators dressed in green - the color associated with Ireland. Some cities, like Chicago, go one step further by coloring their rivers or streams green as a part of the holiday traditions.

Top 10 Facts for Saint Patrick's Day in 2026

• Despite being the patron saint of Ireland, the historical figure was actually born in Roman Britain under the name Maewyn Succat and only arrived in Ireland as a teenager after being kidnapped and enslaved by raiders.
• The original color associated with the observance was not green but a specific shade of light blue, now known as St. Patrick's blue, which was featured on ancient Irish flags and remains the official heraldic color of the country.
• The legendary feat of banishing snakes from the Emerald Isle is widely considered a metaphor for the conversion of the pagan population to Christianity, as scientific evidence shows that the island has been naturally snake-free since the last Ice Age.
• While the holiday is deeply rooted in Irish heritage, the world's first recorded parade in honor of the saint actually took place in the Spanish colony of St. Augustine, Florida, in 1601.
• The widespread tradition of eating corned beef and cabbage is an Irish-American adaptation, as the traditional meal in Ireland would have featured salt pork or Irish bacon, which were more accessible than beef in the nineteenth century.
• For the majority of the twentieth century, the holiday was considered a strictly religious event in Ireland, leading to a law that kept all pubs across the country closed on the day until it was repealed in 1970.
• The tradition of dyeing a city's main waterway a vibrant neon green began in 1962 when Chicago plumbers used forty pounds of vegetable-based dye to help identify sewage leaks in the river.
• The three-leafed shamrock became a national symbol because the saint supposedly used the plant as a visual aid to explain the Christian concept of the Holy Trinity to the native Celts.
• Folklore surrounding the leprechaun changed significantly after the 1959 Walt Disney film Darby O'Gill and the Little People, which transformed the historically grumpy, red-coated shoemakers into the cheerful, green-clad figures seen in modern celebrations.
• The saint's life and spiritual journey are primarily documented in his own fifth-century autobiographical work titled Confessio, which remains one of the few contemporary records of the era.

In the News and Trending in the US for Saint Patrick's Day

Top things to do in the US for Saint Patrick's Day

• Wear green! In some parts of the world, the custom is to pinch people who aren't wearing the color of shamrocks.
• The heart of any Irish neighborhood is its local pub. Share a couple of green Guinness beers with friends at a local Irish pub or try Magner's (Bulmer's) apple cider as an alternative.
• Attend a St. Patrick's Day parade. Major cities like Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Dallas, and Boston host marching bands and floats.
• Why not try the custom of drowning the shamrock? A shamrock is placed in a cup and filled with whiskey, cider, or beer. One makes a toast and must chug the drink. It is usually done at the end of celebrations.
• Enjoy a traditional Irish meal. A traditional Irish St. Patrick's Day meal would include roasted leg of lamb, carrots, parsnips, peas and lots of potatoes!