Where to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on the East Coast

In the United States, over 4 million people emigrated from Ireland between the early 1800s and 1930. To celebrate their heritage, St. Patrick’s Day became a significant holiday and source of pride, especially on the East Coast.

If you’re wondering where to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on the East Coast, the following destinations are worth a look. They’re home to some of the best St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the country, whether you’re Irish or not.

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on the East Coast Where to Go

St. Paddy’s Day in the Hostess City

Over half a million spectators flock to Savannah for the second-largest St. Patrick’s Day in the country.  Regardless of the day of the week St. Patrick’s Day falls on, the parade is always held on the actual holiday and spans over 2.5 hours! With notable bands, military, community members and even the Budweiser Clydesdales, Savannah’s parade is one for the books.

In the days leading up to the parade, the city of Savannah hold’s a two-day St. Patrick’s Day festival complete with live musicians and stage shows over the course of the festival. The festival boasts food and beverage vendors and a wide variety of activities. 

Discover Irish-American Heritage and History in Boston

If you’re looking for one of the most authentic cities to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on the East Coast, Boston is where you want to be. Over 20% of the city’s population can trace it’s heritage back to Ireland, giving Boston the distinction of having the largest Irish-American population in the country. Home to the very first St. Patrick’s Day event in 1737, Boston truly knows how to party. Visitors transcend upon the city in the days leading up to St. Patrick’s Day to visit historic landmarks, enjoy traditional Irish food and explore Massachusetts capital city.

Now, if you’re looking for some fun to go along with your history, Boston is home to two St. Patrick’s Day Parades. The city’s puts on a main St. Patricks Day parade and the South End neighborhood puts on on yet another. Similarly, there are countless pub crawls that take place throughout the city. Workers spill out into the streets on their lunch break to neighboring bars and pubs only to return to work the next morning. If the name of one particular pub crawl is any indication of what to expect, it’s the “Green Eggs and Hammered” party at Landsdowne Pub.

Consider staying in a hotel in one of the neighboring suburbs like Newton, Wellesley or Waltham if you’re seeking a quiet respite from the city. Massachusetts boasts ample and affordable public transportation with extended hours on ‘party nights’ like St. Patrick’s Day.

New York City

Approximately three to four million people line New York City’s streets for the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The St. Patrick’s Day parade sees almost 2 million spectators and includes 150,000 people marching in the parade itself. With the stunning St. Patrick’s Cathedral on 5th Avenue as a backdrop, the parade winds along city streets complete with Clydesdales, bagpipes, marching bands, performers and so much more.

Consider booking a stay at an apartment in the city at an Airbnb. Everyone is Irish on St. Paddy’s Day and the city will be full of things to do during your visit. Whether you’re a pub crawl kind of partier or prefer to learn some Celtic dancing and try your hand at making authentic Irish cuisine, New York City is the place to be.

Raleigh, NC

If you’re looking for a family-friendly way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on the East Coast, Raleigh offers a fun, family atmosphere with a variety of festivals and celebrations. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade coupled with the city’s Wearin’ O’the Green Festival, are less than 40 years old the perfect family weekend getaway choice. 

The events are held Saturday and include the parade and a festival complete with food, drinks and kids activities. Visitors are treated to Irish and Celtic dancing, traditional storytelling and live music across two stages. Raleigh’s St. Patrick’s Day event offers free admission and is dog-friendly too. It is the ideal way to get everyone in on the fun.

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Pittsburgh

You may want to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in the city with the 2nd largest Irish-American population on the East Coast. If so, head to Pittsburgh where the St. Paddy’s Party begins in early March and continues through the month. Throughout the month of March, Pittsburgh offers a wide variety of activities like the Party in the Garden at Wintergarden. This event is held a few days before the holiday and includes food vendors selling corned beef and turkey, beer stations, bagpipes players and live music. Pub crawls are held throughout the month as well and there’s even a Luck of the Irish 5K run. The St. Patrick’s Day parade, party, and celebration coincide with the city’s Spring Fest making Pittsburgh a fun and eventful place to be on the East Coast for St. Paddy’s Day.

Take a St. Patrick’s Day Bus Tour to New York City

If you’ve been there, done that in Pittsburgh and want to get out of the city, consider a bus tour to New York City to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. R&J Tours offers a ride out to 5th Avenue for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Guests can view the parade or spend time having fun in the city until it’s time to drive back to Pennsylvania. The tour will pick up guests who reserve a spot, either at their offices in Cressona, PA or in Hamburg, PA.

If you decide to travel to one of these cities this year to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on the East Coast, there are plenty of opportunities to eat, drink and be merry. Whether you’re seeking a fun, party atmosphere or a subdued, family-friendly getaway, you won’t be disappointed with one of the above-mentioned St. Patrick’s Day travel destinations.