Best Places in the US To Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day

Not only is St. Patrick’s Day in Boston, Massachusetts, a time to celebrate great Irish traditions, but March 17 also commemorates the end of the Siege of Boston by the British in 1776. As evidenced by the sea of spectators dressed in head-to-toe green at the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Bostonians and visitors passionately participate in an array of events throughout March, including the 25th anniversary Riverdance Show and a three-mile long walk along the Irish Heritage Trail, which pays homage to iconic Irish-Americans such as President John F. Kennedy.

Be prepared to be blown away by the shamrock celebrations in the Windy City. In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, residents and visitors to Chicago, Illinois, can join in on parties, visit the downtown St. Paddy’s Day parade, and even indulge in the Charm’d pop-up, an interactive Irish dessert experience that all ages will appreciate. All this set next to a very green Chicago River makes for an incredible holiday.

There’s always unforgettable memories to be made in the Big Apple, especially with inclusive activities available around the city to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Besides the well-known St. Patrick’s Day parade in Manhattan, the largest of its kind in the world, families are welcome to join Sober St. Patrick’ Day, an international event that began in 2012 to “reclaim the spirit of the holiday” by promoting cultural traditions instead of highlighting overconsumption. New York City is also home to the Irish Hunger Memorial, an innovative structure built to memorialize those who suffered during the Great Irish Famine in the mid-1800s.

The city of Savannah, Georgia, goes green for St. Paddy’s Day – literally. As home to one of the most popular St. Patrick's Day parades on the planet, Savannah ramps up the festivities by dyeing the water in public fountains green, beginning with the famous Forsyth Park Fountain. The weekend-long St. Patrick’s Day Festival is not to miss, where local vendors and live performers line River Street as excited attendees gather near the Savannah River, celebrating into the night.

Since official St. Patrick’s Day celebrations started back in 1771, five years before the Declaration of Independence was signed, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has been faithfully committed to bringing in the holiday with a bang. Blossoming from origins older than the country itself, this year Philly’s St. Patrick’s Day parade is themed “250 Years of Faith, Family, Friendship and Heritage,” an appropriate purpose for the City of Brotherly Love. This epic occurrence is planned to commence come rain or shine, with more than 200 groups to be represented, including veterans, marching bands, and youth groups.

Consider yourself struck with the luck of the Irish when celebrating St. Paddy’s Day in Cleveland, Ohio. The city hosts an assortment of green-themed events, including the family-friendly parade, a St. Patrick’s Day party at Whistle & Keg, a self-serve beer tasting room, and a special holiday party at Jack Cleveland Casino, where Irish fare will be served, including Irish potatoes, corned beef, and cabbage, with desserts dyed green.

With so much to choose from, families may have a hard time choosing how to celebrate St. Paddy's Day in San Francisco, California. From the Shamrock Stroll at the San Francisco Zoo, where alcoholic and non-alcoholic green beverages are offered, to the GreenFest Block Party at the United Irish Cultural Center, where multi-generational attendees eat, drink, and play together, there’s no age limit to observing a tradition as fun as this one!

If you think that grown-ups are the only ones who get to party in Las Vegas, Nevada, during St. Patrick’s Day, think again. Spectators marvel at multiple parades throughout March, including the 54th annual St Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival located off the Strip. Created for kids and teens between the ages of 6 and 17, the "Build a Leprechaun Trap" after-school event fosters creativity and invention in STEM activities, while keeping Irish traditions in mind.

In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, spirited spectators will gather for the 45th annual SaPaDaPaSo, or St. Patrick's Day Parade & Post Parade Celebration, which includes food for purchase, colorful favors, and festive times for all. If you’re in town with little ones, drop them off at Kidscreate Studio, where they can participate in St. Patrick’s Day crafts. Adults who also enjoy celebrating by creating should visit Bo Mack’s for shamrock painting, an event where patrons get to enjoy great eats while making holiday crafts.

St. Patrick’s Day in the Mile High City includes celebrating with friends and family at the downtown Denver St. Patrick's Day parade, filled with stagecoaches, Irish step dancers, pipe bands, and more! For more good times that everyone can join in on, Oblio’s Pizzeria offers adult drink specials, along with outrageous holiday freebies for kids, including face paintings, ice cream sundaes, gold coins, and even a meet-and-greet with a leprechaun.

Though St. Louis, Missouri, has a boast-worthy St. Patrick’s Day parade, there’s even more fun to be had before and after the party. Two- to 5-year-olds can search around Vlasis Park for gold coins during the pre-parade Lucky Leprechaun Hunt. Inside the Shamrock Village entertainment zone, accessible pre- and post-procession, families are free to visit Leprechaun Village, where they can get a close-up look at parade balloons being inflated, interact with parade participants, and witness expert Irish dancers celebrating their heritage.

When in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, why not do it all during St. Patrick's Day weekend? Start with the Milwaukee St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 14, but keep the party going with the family-friendly Post-Parade Party. Sunday, March 15, attend Family Day at the CelticMKE Center, an event that incorporates essential Irish cultural elements, including offering bodhran (an Irish frame drum) workshops for beginners, performances from dance companies, and Irish music sessions that families are encouraged to participate in.