How Global Cities Celebrate St.Patrick’s Day
I originally designed this post for the purpose of talking about Chicago’s famous green river as part of their St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, but I realized there isn’t much more to say other than that…ya, the river is green, how cool! Besides the uniqueness of this celebration and the tourism draws this may bring, at first glance there doesn’t seem to be any other “necessary” reason to be doing this. So why does Chicago do this, and why is St. Patrick’s Day so popular in places other than Ireland?
Who is St.Patrick?
St. Patrick essentially took part in bringing Catholicism to the Irish by connecting with their language and culture. He is also known for driving all of the snakes out of Ireland (which you may have heard before); This unfortunately is a myth as there were no snakes in Ireland but he is still seen as the patron saint of Ireland so who cares?! The church declared March 17 (the day of his death in 460CE) as a day of feasting in his honour in 1631.
Why does Chicago celebrate like this?
In 2022, Chicago had the second largest Irish population in the United States, behind Boston. This would make sense as to why they are so ready to celebrate in this manner. The USA in general also has a substantial history of Irish immigration, with an estimated 6 million Irish immigrants entering the US since 1820. The dying of the river began in 1961 when the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local 130 noticed that a dye they used to detect leaks in the river had turned their coveralls the perfect shade of green. The mayor was notified and it has been a Chicago tradition ever since.
Does anywhere else celebrate like this?
Many places around the world, from Auckland to Tokyo to Buenos Aires are known to partake in St. Paddy’s Day rituals. Most of these festivals include eating traditional Irish foods, drinking Irish liquor, parades, traditional music and dances, and more. Some people go all out, and some only wear green, but a celebration is a celebration in my eyes!
Who cares?
St. Patrick’s Day is one of many examples of a cultural celebration that happens globally, and often without the requirement of a direct connection to a given culture to partake. You do not need to be Irish, even a little bit, to celebrate. Does that essentially make this just a social, drinking holiday? Perhaps. Maybe I am thinking too much about this but St. Patrick’s Day is also an experiment of culture being connected, regardless of geographical location. Yes, maybe it is an excuse to bar hop (shoutout to walkable cities!), but it also acts as a link to some people’s heritage, no matter how distant. And hey, the day is about feasting after all, so feast away!
Whether you are Irish or not, Happy St. Patrick’s Day! If you are celebrating, be safe and sláinte!
-Written by GAPSS VP Internal Beth Bennett
Sources:
Chicago River is dyed by Plumbers