Celebrating Irish-American culture? Then “make sure you enjoy some of the parades and events taking place this year,” says Charlotte Sullivan.
Sacramento
This is one of the largest parades in Northern California with hundreds of colorful costumed marchers dressed in green. Highland dancers, pipe and drum bands, elaborate Celtic costumes, bagpipers, school bands and military regiments add to the vibrant festival atmosphere. People from all over Northern California come to watch the parade which sets off at 1pm from 2nd & L Streets in Old Sacramento and proceeds throughout the 28-acre historic state park. Last year thousands turned out to enjoy it, and you can join the 18th Annual Parade on Saturday, March 15th! (For more information Click here)
San Francisco
For St. Patrick’s Day, San Francisco reflects the Emerald Isle in more ways than one and with the flag of Ireland draped over City Hall, this is certainly a city showing off its Irish roots. The parade and festival on March 15 is the biggest Irish celebration west of the Mississippi, starting at 11:30am at 2nd & Market and finishing at Civic Center Plaza. Good traditional grub such as potato and onion hot pot and a pint of Guinness or two and you will be fit as a fiddle to join one of the bar crawls late into the evening, taking in Irish-American haunts such as Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub, Lefty O’Doul’s, and The Phoenix Irish Bar.
Saturday March 15, (For more information Click here)
San Diego
More than 120 parade entries and thousands of people will be reveling in the fun at this popular event. The parade kicks off at 10:30am from Sixth Avenue and Juniper Street and features marching bands, floats, the Emerald Societies, Police and Fire Department units, equestrian entries, scout troops, bagpipe contingents, dancing groups, clowns and vintage cars. And if that’s not enough, you can visit the Irish Festival in Balboa Park with food and craft booths as well as two beer gardens serving beer, wine and spirits and an authentic Celtic Village and Kids Zone with rides. Festival entertainment starts off with a great presentation with the bagpipes and drums of the San Diego Firefighters Emerald Society and the live entertainment continues on two stages with a line-up of outstanding entertainers. The 34th annual Parade and Festival takes place on Saturday, March 15 (For more information Click here)
Los Angeles, St. Patty’s Fest
Tap your feet as Irish dancers perform jigs to Gaelic pipe music and enjoy beer and authentic Irish food in some fantastic spots. In Santa Monica, prop up at the bar at Fin McCools or Molly Malone’s in Beverly Grove. Or for a St. Patty’s day with a difference, how about climbing aboard the Queen Mary world-class ocean liner hotel at Long Beach to experience the Shamrock N Roll 2014? The evening on Saturday, March 15 features an amazing lineup of live entertainment that would make St. Patty proud (queenmary.com). Though, perhaps the main fest is at The Arena in Hollywood. Chase the luck of the Irish and enjoy plenty of beer stations and Pink’s Hot Dogs at this annual shindig where performers have included Pasadena Pipes and Drums Band and the World Champion Irish Dancers. Join St. Patty’s fest on March 16th! (For more information Click here)
New York
St. Patrick’s Day is the perfect opportunity to gather the family together and watch a little piece of history unfold in front of your very eyes. The NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade nycgo.com is on Monday, March 17. It is the country’s first and oldest parade, marching more than 250 years ago in 1762. Watch the bagpipers, marching bands and swathes of people in green costume setting off from Fifth Avenue from 44th Street to 86th Street. The parade sees over 150,000 marchers sets off at 11a.m. and is one of the highlights of the month for those visiting the Big Apple. Post-parade, you enjoy a few pints or some Jameson Whisky in one of NYC’s delightful Irish pubs such as McSorley’s Old Ale House, 5 E 7th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues or Paddy Maguire’s Ale House centrally located in Gramercy park, 237 3rd Avenue between 19th and 20th Streets.
