Although some people go to church on St. Patrick’s Day, the biggest celebrations are typically held in the streets. St. Patrick’s Day parades are lively, all-day events, with people marching through the streets and Irish musicians filling the air with old folk songs. Attendeescan enjoy corned beefand cabbage, a traditional Irish meal. To wash it down, adults often drink beer that’s been dyed green with food coloring.
Although St. Patrick’s Day may have started in Ireland, it’s now celebrated around the world. Many cities have even established their own traditions for the holiday. In Ise, Japan, the party begins at a shrinewith a parade dedicated to a Shintogoddess. Irish and Japanese flags fly side by side, as people in leprechaun costumes dance to bagpipemusic. At the end of the day, everyone enjoys a large oysterfestival.
New Orleans has its own unique takeon St. Patrick’s Day. It includes a big food fight in the streets, with people tossing cabbage at one another. It may seem a little bit crazy, but the fight symbolizes how cabbage replaced potatoes in Ireland during a famine. Perhaps the best thing about St. Patrick’s Day is that everyone is welcome to join the fun. That’s because the Irish believe that everyone is a little Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.
