Find something green to wear soon: St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated annually on March 17, which this year falls on a Tuesday. It originated as a Catholic holiday, specifically the feast day of Saint Patrick, who is known as the patron saint of Ireland.
After being introduced to the United States by Irish immigrants, it maintained its Catholic roots in many ways (for instance, St. Patrick’s Cathedral is a major landmark of the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade), but also became a meaningful cultural holiday celebrating Irish American heritage and customs. Check out our previous articles on the holiday for more information on its history.
Some of the earliest formal St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the U.S. can be traced back to St. Augustine, Florida in 1601, and since then many cities and towns nationwide have adopted the tradition of annual parades. (Check around for events happening in your area!)
Among the most famous of these is the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which was first held in 1762 and today draws crowds of millions of spectators, with many more watching live on TV. The parade begins at 11:00 AM on 5th Avenue and 44th Street, and ends at 4:30 PM on 5th Avenue and 79th Street: be aware of crowds, traffic, and road closures around this area. See the official parade website here for more information.
St. Patrick’s Day is not a federal holiday, so you can expect schools, businesses, banks, and government buildings to be operating on normal hours. Legislation has been introduced to Congress before to establish St. Patrick’s Day as a federal holiday, but as of yet it has made no progress.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us anytime at info@gravityintprog.com. Stay safe and healthy, and Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!
