Top Ten St. Patrick's Day Parades

St. Patrick’s Day celebrations typically come in two forms: drinking and wearing green. The traditional Saint Patrick’s Day parade brings both elements together, adding the essential “March” factor in as well. Parades are an essential part of Irish heritage, and the traditional St.Patrick’s Day Parades are (debatably) trumped in grandeur, notoriety, and attendance only by a select few (Pasadena Rose Parade, New York Macy’s Christmas , New Orleans Mardi Gras, San Francisco Gay Pride, Brooklyn West Indian Carnival).

So let’s have a look at some of the best parades that make even the biggies get green with envy:

10. Syracuse, NY

“The other” St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York certainly isn’t the largest, but can boast the largest celebration per-capita in the U.S. Be sure to see the “Green-on-Top” traffic light while you’re there.

9. Scranton, PA

If you’re planning a trip to the home of The Office/Dunder Mifflin branch, be sure and schedule it March so you can see the one of the biggest U.S. St. Patrick’s Day parade, with over 150,000 attendees.

8. New Orleans, LA

The Big Easy hosts a Mardi Gras-esque parade, complete with floats, but instead of beads, spectators are apt to see airborne potatoes and cabbages.

7. Holyoke, MA

Claiming to be the second largest in the U.S., this parade includes 25,000 official participants, and over 300,000 spectators. A notable Irish-American is chosen every year as the John F. Kennedy National Award recipient.

6. Hot Springs, AR

This particular Paddy Day Parade is big because it’s small. Held on “The Shortest Street in the World”, Bridge Street. The parade also features Elvis look-alikes, and has honored several Grand Parade Marshals like actors from the show Cheers, Pauly Shore, and Mario Lopez?

5. Savannah, GA

Boasting an attendance of over 750,000 in 2006, the parade in Savannah is scheduled on the actual date (Mar. 17) of Saint Patrick’s Day, regardless of the week day. The procession winds through the Historic Park District, where the city fountains are dyed green.

4. Boston, MA

The first American St. Patrick’s Day celebration was in Boston, in 1737. They carry on the tradition and host over 600,000 parade-goers.

3. Chicago, IL

They dye the Chicago River green, what else needs to be said? Oh, you might see Tommy Lee Jones chasing Harrison Ford.

2. Dublin, Ireland

It doesn’t get more authentic than in Ireland itself. Any Irish city will do (Cork, Belfast, Limerick), but if you’re in Ireland, you might as well go big or go home. The parade in Dublin is just a part of the week-long festival.

1. New York City, NY

Yep, the biggest St. Patrick’s Day Parade is over 3,100 miles away from Ireland. The parade is led by the U.S. 69th Infantry, and usually has at least 150,000 marchers and 2 million spectators.

Well, there you have it; The finest locales for the most festive St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Whether you’re marching in the biggest, or watching the smallest, on St. Patrick’s Day, the world turns Irish. I guess you could say that no man is an Ireland, entire of itself.