St. Patrick’s Day is an occasion that many people, Irish or not, look forward to celebrating across the United States.
St. Patrick’s Day is made complete with festive parades filled with Irish culture.
Thousands, in some cases millions, line the streets at parades across the country for the occasion.
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Check out these popular St. Patrick’s Day parades that you can attend this year.
Just make sure to secure your spot early at these highly attended events.
- New York City
- Chicago
- Boston
- Savannah, Georgia
- Denver
- Kansas City, Missouri
- Phoenix
- Cleveland
- Pittsburgh
- Dublin, Ohio
- New Orleans
- Detroit
1. New York City
New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day parade brings in 2 million visitors every year, according NYC’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade website.
There is also an impressive number of people — 150,000 — who march in the parade, which begins at East 44th Street and travels up Fifth Avenue and ends at East 79th Street.
This historic parade dates back to 1762. Since its start, volunteers have been the organizers of the event, according to the website.
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If you plan on attending the largest and oldest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the country, come prepared for a long day. Typically, the parade runs about five to six hours from start to finish, with a start time of 11 a.m.
2. Chicago
You can catch a huge St. Patrick’s Day parade in Chicago as well. The parade lasts around three hours and has been an annual event since 1843, according to ChooseChicago.com.
Each year since 1962, usually on the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day, the Chicago River is dyed green, according to the site.
Many gather to watch the river receive its new color.
The dye only lasts for a few hours, so if you want to catch a photo or a glimpse, be sure to arrive on time. You can experience the river by boarding a cruise during the time it is dyed.
3. Boston
Boston has the highest concentration of Irish descendants in the United States, according to Irish Central, and it is no surprise that they take the holiday very seriously.
Not only can you enjoy a St. Patrick’s Day parade in Boston, you can also run (or observe) the St. Patrick’s Day road race that takes place in the city.
There are also tons of Irish pubs and music events to experience during St. Patrick’s Day and the days leading up to it.
4. Savannah, Georgia
The St. Patrick’s Day events in Savannah, Georgia, start early and run late. Festivities typically start around the city on March 16 and run through March 19.
Savannah is home to one of the largest parades in the country. There are about 400,000 individuals who get together to watch the parade, according to Explore Georgia.
Savannah, similar to Chicago, has a Greening of the Fountain Ceremony at Forsyth Park for visitors to enjoy, according to the website.
5. Denver
Denver hosts parades, bar crawls and festivals in many of the local Irish pubs around the city.
One of the popular pubs in the area is Scruffy Murphy’s, located next to Coors Field. At this pub, guests can enjoy Irish cuisine like shepherd’s pie and beer, including Guinness.
6. Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City has been celebrating St. Patrick’s Day since 1873, according to Trips to Discover. On average, 200,000 people will come to the city to watch the annual parade.
You can participate in one of the marathons the city has to offer, and there are activities for children.
7. Phoenix
Phoenix is one of the cities in the U.S. that takes St. Patrick’s Day celebrations to the next level.
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It hosts an annual parade equipped with bagpipers, Irish step dancers, marching bands, floats and more. It also hosts the Irish Family Faire each year.
8. Cleveland
The very first St. Patrick’s Day parade in Cleveland was in 1842, according to WKYC. In 2019, Cleveland was ranked one of the top cities in the U.S. to celebrate St. Patty’s Day, according to a WalletHub survey.
The parade now draws in half a million people for the festivities, according to Cleveland Traveler. The 2024 theme for the parade is “Ireland: One Island One Nation.”
Cleveland’s Irish-American community is evident in the numerous Irish pubs from the east side to the west side. Some of the most popular include Mullarkey’s Irish Pub, Nora’s Public House, Flannery’s Pub and Parnell’s Irish Pub. Clevelanders and visitors can also sport kilts, wigs and lots of green and participate in the St. Patrick’s Day 5K on March 17.
9. Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh started its annual parade in 1859, according to USA Today, and will continue the tradition this year downtown.
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The parade that is 1.4 miles long attracts around 200,000 to 350,000 spectators every year, according to Visit Pittsburgh.
10. Dublin, Ohio
Dublin, Ohio, may not celebrate quite like Dublin, Ireland — but it hosts one of the biggest St. Patrick Day party cities in the United States.
Dublin’s St. Patrick Day events start off with a morning pancake breakfast.
Residents prepare for the day with a pre-parade Inflation Celebration where all the floats are pumped up, followed by the parade itself.
11. New Orleans
New Orleans is known to Americans for its Mardi Gras celebrations, but the city brings out the party in everyone for St. Patrick’s Day as well.
If you’re spending St. Patrick’s Day in New Orleans, expect lots of block parties and parades happening all around you.
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Beads and flowers are thrown out into the crowd during parades — and sometimes even cabbage.
12. Detroit
Dress in your best Irish attire for the popular St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Motor City.
This parade attracts 80,000 to 100,000 people every year, according to its website. It is equipped with plenty of marching bands, floats and color guard units to keep you entertained for the two-hour event.
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Source Agencies