Pints & Parades – Paddy’s Day Around the Globe
Everyone’s favourite excuse to party is just days away!
In just under 2 weeks, people around the globe will be celebrating all things Irish on St. Patrick’s Day on the 17th March.
In Ireland, as you would expect, it’s a big deal. We get a day off work and cities, towns and villages come to life with parades, music, dancing, food and drink.
But if you can’t make it to Ireland for the big day, there are plenty of other places in the world to catch a Paddy’s Day party…pretty much anywhere in fact!
Unsurprisingly in the USA, where 34 million residents claim Irish ancestry, there are celebrations in a lot of the major cities. You can catch the oldest parade in Boston, the biggest in New York and the shortest in the Arkansas town of Hot Springs. Canadians also celebrate with a huge parade in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.
On this side of the equator, you can be the first to party in Auckland, New Zealand or go to the biggest parade in the Southern Hemisphere in Sydney.
There are parties in China, Japan, Korea and Malaysia. Revellers in Sao Paulo in Brazil mark the day with traditional Irish stew and a shindig with Irish music.
Probably the most unusual party place of all is Montserrat in the Caribbean. In the 17th century, Irish servants arrived in Montserrat. Today, it is the only country in the world outside of Ireland to recognise St. Patrick’s Day as a national holiday and celebrates with a week of festivities.
So no matter where you are the world on the 17th March this year, you’ll most likely find somewhere to celebrate!
DriveAway offer car rental in Ireland, the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia and Brazil. But on St. Patrick’s Day, my advice is to park the rental car and head to the nearest Irish pub.
About the Author
Car Guru writes for DriveAway Holidays, DriveAway Holidays New Zealand and DriveAway Holidays Blog
Vancouver Observer.Com Relaunch Party , Ceili’s Irish Pub Oct 6 2009
