March 17th: the one day everyone wants to be an Irishman (or lass). For those who can’t get enough of the Irish festivities, there are some fabulous places around the world where you can experience St. Patrick’s Day on a whole new level. Go beyond leprechauns and green-tinted food to these fabulous destinations that genuinely embody the Irish spirit.
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1.) Boston, Massachusetts
Boston is home to the highest percentage of Irish Americans, per capita, in the country. It’s no surprise that they go all out for St. Patrick’s Day. Head to Boston to see the 2-mile long parade, view the Irish film festival, or enjoy live concerts from the Dropkick Murphys, a local punk band with a distinctly Irish feel.
2.) Dublin, Ireland
Which St. Patrick’s Day list would be complete without Ireland? In a dream world, we’d all book a flight to Ireland to celebrate. If you love Saint Patty’s Day more than anyone you know, head straight to the source and plan a trip to Dublin to celebrate their national holiday in style (minus the fake orange beards and leprechaun hats). You’ll be greeted with four full days of Irish festivities that include singing, dancing, performances and, of course, copious amounts of Guinness. It’s as Irish as things can get.
3.) Montreal, Canada
Since 1824, Montreal has celebrated the Irish with a huge parade complete with floats and Irish bagpipers. Those travelers with more refined tastes will appreciate the higher-class pub crawls and Irish cuisine offered in this area of the world.
4.) Chicago, Illinois
The Windy City takes its Irish festivities seriously with more parties per capita than any other city and a unique tradition they’ve been enjoying since 1961. Every year, Chicago dyes its namesake river green in celebration of Saint Patrick, making it a must-visit destination for lovers of Irish culture.
5.) Montserrat
This gorgeous, sun-drenched Carribean island is the only other place in the world besides Ireland that celebrates March 17th as a national holiday. If you want to celebrate the Irish while also incorporating a bit of the Caribbean’s cultural charm, Montserrat is the place for you! Just don’t blame us if you don’t want to leave!
6.) New York City, New York
New York City is America’s quintessential melting pot city, so most ethnic celebrations are elaborately-celebrated events here. The Irish representing in NYC do not disappoint. You can take part in the country’s largest St. Patty’s Day parade, or sign up for one of the numerous bar crawls. There, you can drink green beer to your heart’s content.
7.) New Orleans, Louisiana
Everyone knows that New Orleans can throw a party, and on March 17th, they put together a very unique celebration in honor of Saint Patrick. Celebrators can take part in one of the many block parties throughout the city or enjoy the Irish Channel Parade, where onlookers throw stew ingredients (yes, whole carrots and potatoes) into the crowd.
8.) Savannah, Georgia
This quaint southern town isn’t usually on most people’s minds when it comes to Irish pride, but Savannah knows how to have fun. More than 400,000 people head to Savannah for Saint Patrick’s Day festivities. The celebrations include parades, Irish dance lessons and green water spouting from all of the public fountains.
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