A band of homesick Irish expatriates, soldiers who were serving in the British Army, marked the first St. Patrick’s Day parade in New York City with a procession on March 17, 1762. Today, the parade down Fifth Avenue is the largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the world, with about a quarter of a million marchers and several million spectators.
In 1961, city pollution-control workers began using green dye to trace illegal sewage discharges and realized that the dye might offer a unique way to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day. Each year, the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local Union #110 uses 40 pounds of dye to color the Chicago River a perfect green.
The first St. Patrick's Day parade in Boston is believed to have been held in 1737, organized by the Charitable Irish Society. With a rich heritage of Irish history, this city has a stronger association with Ireland than any in the U.S., even though Chicago and Los Angeles claim larger populations of Irish descent.
Come mid-March, the Iron City, Pittsburg, goes green in a big way. Those of Irish heritage constitute the second-largest population in town, so it’s no wonder that the party for St. Patrick is consistently one of the biggest and most vibrant on the city’s calendar.
All text and images from msn.com
1 comment:
I love St. Patrick's Day...green beer tonight!!!:)
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