NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade History

St. Patrick’s Day (Irish: Lá ‘le Pádraig or Lá Fhéile Pádraig), colloquially, but to some a derogatory term, St. Paddy’s Day is the feast day that celebrates Saint Patrick.

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17. People celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by wearing green and going to Saint Patrick’s Day parades.

Irish-American immigrants brought Saint Patrick’s Day to the United States. The first civic and public celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day took place in Boston, Massachusetts in 1737. The first celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day in New York City was held at the Crown and Thistle Tavern in 1756. Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated by Irish and non-Irish alike. Regardless of ethnic background, everyone wears green-colored clothing and items. Traditionally, those who are caught not wearing green are pinched. The NYC St. Patrick’s Day parade has become the largest Saint Patrick’s Day parade in the world, outside Ireland. In 2006 more than 150,000 marchers participated in it, including Irish bands, Irish firefighters, Irish military and Irish police groups, county associations, Irish emigrant societies, Emerald Societies, and social and Irish cultural clubs, and it was watched by close to two million spectators lining the streets.