Leprechauns are everywhere, storefronts are adorned in shamrocks, your favorite foods are all of a sudden green (no, those aren’t moldy bagels!) and our famed Empire State Building is aglow in emerald lights! But, what exactly is going on here?
St. Patrick’s Day, a worldwide holiday originating from Ireland as a day to commemorate St. Patrick, the foremost patron saint of Ireland, as well as the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, has become widely recognized as a day to celebrate the heritage and culture of the Irish.
Ironically enough, Saint Patrick wasn’t even Irish! He was born in Britain around A.D. 390 to an aristocratic Christian family, was kidnapped and brought to Ireland at 16, but escaped to reunite with his family years later. According to folklore, a voice he heard in his dreams eventually told him to go back to Ireland, where he then became a priest and spent the rest of his life converting the Irish to Christianity.
With all this hype building up to this holiday and green paraphernalia everywhere, you may be wondering exactly what to do in the city that never sleeps on St. Patrick’s Day. From the St. Patrick’s Day parade, to the best Irish Pubs, to bakery’s whipping up their finest Irish Soda Bread, here’s our go-to guide:
- Patrick’s Day Parade: For 253 years, the NYC St. Patrick’s Day parade has been a registered non-profit organization. Want to join? Grab your kilt! The parade will begin at 44th street at 11:00 am and make its way up Fifth Avenue past St. Patrick’s Cathedral to 79th Street. Can’t make it? Watch it live, here.
- Hit the Pubs: Whether you want to join in and watch the parade or simply grab a Guinness beer (or two) at an Irish Pub on St. Patrick’s Day, here are some of the best places to go.
- Taste of St. Patrick’s Day: If you were to experience one thing pertaining to the holiday, it’s Irish Soda Bread! The traditional treat is known as “one of the best breads in the world” is a product of a poor country, made of the most basic ingredients. Originally served with dinner, Irish Soda Bread comes in various shapes and sizes and is often marked with a cross on top. You can now enjoy it anytime plain or with raisins, toasted and buttered. Don’t miss out! Here are the best spots to get Irish Soda bread in NYC.
- Sea of Green: The color green has a lot of connection to Ireland (nicknamed “Emerald Isle” for it’s shamrocks and fields) and springtime. However, there is no one reason why green is the official color of St. Patrick’s Day. Either way, we highly encourage you to don your favorite green clothing as you celebrate.
Don’t forget to grab your camera and head to the roof of Webster to see the Empire State Building in all of its green glory this St. Patty’s Day! Follow Webster Apartments here on Instagram, post and tag your photos with #WebsterApt so we can make others green with envy at the amazing view!
Enjoy the holiday and stay safe! Don’t miss our St. Patrick’s Day menu – we’ll be serving traditional meals such as green eggs, Shepard’s Pie, Irish roasted salmon and more.
