by James Lynne

Created on: March 08, 2009   Last Updated: March 09, 2009

Determining the most famous St. Patrick's Day parades is colored (green) by one's perspective of fame. The most famous St. Patrick's Day parade, although not actually a parade, may be life's path as referenced in the traditional Irish blessing, "May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back...and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand." Fame, like beauty, though, lies within the eyes of the beholder. So it is, in determining which St. Paddy's Day parades are the most famous.

Virtually every major community in the free world holds a St. Patrick's Day celebration, including parades, in countless cities. Some are famous worldwide, and some only to the hometown crowd. Top St. Patrick's Day parade contenders are Boston, Massachusetts, for the first St. Patrick's Day parade, New York City, New York, for the the most continuous years of holding a parade, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, second to New York City for continuity, Dublin, Ireland for largest, and Hot Springs, Arkansas for shortest.

The first St. Patrick's Day parade in the Americas was held in Boston, Massachusetts, on March 17, 1737, long before the writing of the Declaration of Independence. The Charitable Irish Society of Boston, a group whose purpose was to assist Irish immigrants in their transition to the new country, organized it. This St. Patrick's Day parade was held to encourage a sense of identity and pride for Irish settlers. The Charitable Irish Society of Boston still functions as a source of Irish pride in Boston.

The Boston St. Patrick's Day parade is not the longest running one in the United States. For various reasons, Boston, at times did not continue the tradition it began on March 17, 1737, but Boston still claims the record of being America's most Irish city. Its St. Patrick's Day parade resumed in 1901 in South Boston and has been held annually ever since. It is known to be one of the nation's largest St. Patrick's Day parades drawing in excess of 500,000 observers annually.

New York City holds the record for holding an annual St. Patrick's Day parade for the longest number of successive years. The first St. Patrick's Day parade in New York City was held in 1766 and the tradition continues to the present. Irish soldiers, stationed in the colonies, serving the King of England, first organized New York's St. Patrick's Day parade. Little did they know that within a decade of that first parade both the character of New England and their celebration

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>