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How Different Places Celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at McGill chapter.

1. Montreal

Organised by the United Irish Societies, the annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade has occurred annually since 1824. In fact, Montreal may have celebrated the holiday as far back to 1759. This year, the 196th parade will start from du Fort St. and continue as far as Metcalfe street. Stop by downtown Montreal to enjoy the music and celebration, then head to the many Irish pubs afterwards.

 

2. Dublin

It wouldn’t be a St. Patrick’s Day list without including Ireland. One of the most popular days to travel to Dublin, St. Patrick’s Day has been celebrated as an official public holiday since 1903. In Dublin, the festival is not a one, but a five-day event. If you’re there for the holiday, expect a huge and energetic parade and a lot of Guinness.

3. Boston

On the holiday in Boston, there’s…you guessed it! A parade. Boston’s parade mixes the sounds of bagpipes and marching bands with huge floats and military units. The parade also simultaneously celebrated Evacuation Day, an official Boston holiday celebrating the evacuation of the British troops in Boston during the American Revolutionary War. Besides the parade, there’s also an Irish Heritage Trail, a Celtic Sojourn, and some hometown shows by Dropkick Murphys.

4. Tokyo

You may be surprised to hear that St. Patrick’s Day has even begun to popularize in Asia, with parades taking place in Japan, Korea, and Malaysia. A much younger parade, Tokyo’s Parade brings in 50,000 spectators with their 1,500 participants.

5. The International Space Station

Even being away from earth can’t stop us from celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. Astronauts aboard the International Space Station have been known to play Irish songs on the flute, sing songs, and of course–wear green.

 

Images From:

https://www.mtlblog.com/news/montreals-2018-saint-patricks-day-parade-will-not-take-place-on-saint-catherine-street

https://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/how-dublin-celebrates-saint-patricks-day

http://westernmotorcoach.com/spend-st-patricks-day-boston/#iLightbox[gallery957]/0

https://japan-attractions.jp/festivals/st-patricks-day-parade-in-tokyo/

https://www.space.com/20257-space-st-patricks-day-astronaut.html

Melody Zhou

McGill '22

Melody Zhou is a U2 student from Boston, Massachusetts. She is studying cognitive science at McGill University with a focus in computer science and neuroscience. She is passionate about medicine and hopes to attend medical school to eventually pursue a career in pediatrics. In her free time, she enjoys playing volleyball and spending time with her dog.