{"id":42284,"date":"2016-02-19T10:43:03","date_gmt":"2016-02-19T16:43:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/?p=42284"},"modified":"2018-02-27T16:24:53","modified_gmt":"2018-02-27T22:24:53","slug":"st-patricks-day-celebration-awards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/02\/st-patricks-day-celebration-awards\/","title":{"rendered":"These cities have the best St. Patrick\u2019s Day celebrations"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the saying goes, everybody’s Irish<\/a> on St. Patrick\u2019s Day, but not every city has the same way of celebrating. If you’re looking for a superlative place to spend the green-themed holiday, these are the oldest, biggest, smallest and most unusual celebrations that honor Ireland’s patron saint.<\/p>\n

Related: How Irish are youreally? Take this pronunciation quiz to find out.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"NYPD

NYPD Emerald Society | Photo courtesy of ParadeLife.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Oldest parade: New York City<\/strong><\/p>\n

According to the New York Historical Society<\/a>, the first known reference to a celebration was in 1756 in the New York Post (founded by Alexander Hamilton). The first recorded New York City<\/a> St. Patrick’s Day Parade was a decade later, in 1766, in what was still The Colonies, when a group of homesick Irish soldiers serving with the British military organized a fife and drum ceremony. As the Irish community in NYC grew, so did the parade, which has been held annually for more than 250 years. These days there are as many as 250,000 marchers, including the bagpipers of the NYPD Emerald Society marching band, and two million spectators. That also makes the annual festivities on Fifth Avenue the world\u2019s largest St. Patrick\u2019s Day parade.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Chicago

Chicago River<\/p><\/div>\n

Longest green river: Chicago<\/strong><\/p>\n

Organizers claim this annual modern miracle that turns the Chicago River green on St. Patrick\u2019s Day ranks right up there with Moses parting the Red Sea. As with the recipe for Coca Cola and the iPhone encryption code, the green dye is a secret concoction, but the Plumbers Union who perpetrate the act promise it has been tested and proven safe and green for the environment. Of course, there\u2019s the big downtown parade<\/a>, too, as well as the South Side Irish Parade<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Two

The only two-state parade | Photo courtesy of Rock Island Chamber of Commerce<\/p><\/div>\n

Only two-state parade: Quad Cities<\/strong><\/p>\n

This interstate St. Patrick’s Day Parade<\/a> begins in downtown Rock Island, Illinois, marching across the Centennial Bridge over the Mississippi River into downtown Davenport, Iowa<\/a>.\u00a0 Most everybody \u2013 marchers and spectators – wind up at Kelly\u2019s Irish Pub & Eatery, which claims to throw the world\u2019s largest St. Patrick\u2019s party, feeding a couple of tons of corned beef and cabbage and more than 100 kegs of green beer to around 15,000 people.<\/p>\n

\"Skydiving

Skydiving Leprechaun | Photo courtesy of Quad Cities CVB<\/p><\/div>\n

Only skydiving leprechauns: Davenport, Iowa<\/strong><\/p>\n

A local skydiving club dresses up for the day, landing as close to the post-parade party as possible without touching down in somebody\u2019s lunch.<\/p>\n

Related: These are Ireland’s top 10 sights to see, no blarney.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\"Orbitz-<\/p>\n

World\u2019s shortest parade: Hot Springs, Arkansas<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bridge Street is a 98-foot long thoroughfare in Hot Springs<\/a> that claims to be the world\u2019s shortest street in everyday use, and this zany mini-parade<\/a> makes the most of every inch. Marchers include Elvis impersonators and belly dancers, wearing green, of course, and what organizers claim is the world\u2019s largest leprechaun.<\/p>\n

\"World's

Photo courtesy of O’Neill Chamber of Commerce<\/p><\/div>\n

World\u2019s largest shamrock: O\u2019Neill, Nebraska<\/strong><\/p>\n

At the intersection of Highways 20 and 281 in the middle of O’Neill<\/a>, this permanent green fixture is large enough and bright enough to be visible on Google Maps. The shamrock is freshened annually with 20 gallons of green paint, so it can stand up the scuffing by the nearly 200 step-dancers who perform on it as part of the St. Patrick’s Day parade<\/a>. Although they tap their way into local history, they haven\u2019t made it into the Guinness World Book of Records.<\/p>\n

\"Best

Best Legs in a Kilt Contest in Dublin, Ohio | Photo courtesy of Dublin Convention & Visitors Bureau<\/p><\/div>\n

Best Legs in a Kilt Contest: Dublin, Ohio<\/strong><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s not quibble that kilts are more often associated with Scotland than Ireland, but great legs are immune to geography or politics. This contest in Dublin<\/a> is open to men only, and only part of the day\u2019s festivities, which include a parade, of course. Dublin\u2019s parade<\/a> includes giant balloons that are a local version of the more-famous Macy\u2019s Thanksgiving Day parade.<\/p>\n

Coldest celebration: Portland, Maine<\/strong><\/p>\n

Portland<\/a>‘s annual early morning St. Patrick’s Day Plunge<\/a> into the chilly Atlantic Ocean is a tradition, and plungers are cool enough to do it for charity, the local Children\u2019s Burn Foundation. There\u2019s a more traditional mid-day parade, too.<\/p>\n

Did you know? More than 40 states<\/a> have cities with Irish names, including Waterford, Michigan; Belfast, Maine; Killarney and Mayo, Florida; Shamrock, Texas; and Galway and Limerick, New York.<\/p>\n

\"discount<\/a>\"\"<\/p>\n

Save<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Check out these superlative celebrations honoring Ireland’s patron saint.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":161,"featured_media":42654,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[5,21],"tags":[2713],"class_list":["post-42284","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family-travel","category-midwest","tag-holidays-and-events"],"acf":{"api_active":null,"api_title":null,"api_excerpt":null,"api_featured_image":null,"api_lob":null},"posts_api_cpm_point":[{"name":"","description":"","thumbnail":"","address":"235 Branson Landing Blvd, Branson, MO 65616, USA","latitude":"36.6439681","longitude":"-93.21441340000001","icon":"\/images\/icons\/marker.png"}],"yoast_head":"\nThese cities have the best St. Patrick\u2019s Day celebrations | Orbitz<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, 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