Jimmy Buffet coined the phrase, it’s 5’oclock somewhere. When it comes to March 17th, does Massachusetts have the BEST city for St Patty’s Day? WAIT, you mean there are OTHER cities like us? Cities that celebrate the famous holiday like none other? Cities whose work force takes March 18th OFF, every year? Yes, me lad. Our fine town is not the only land to honor the famous saint. Before we take a Guinness deep dive, let’s go back to it’s humble beginnings.
St. Patrick’s Day
The original meaning? The day commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, and celebrates the heritage and culture of the Irish in general. Celebrations generally involve public parades and festivals, céilithe, and the wearing of green attire or shamrocks.
While St. Patrick’s Day is not a federal holiday, it widely celebrated across America and around the world each year. One of the more famous events, is of course in Chicago. Each year, for St. Patrick’s Day, city officials ok a legal act of public property defacing and dye the Chicago River, green. (And that’s before the party starts.)
Let’s Find The #1 City!
Believe it or not, people actually get paid to find this stuff. Our friends at Wallethub spent hours of manpower to uncover the best AND worst cities to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
WalletHub compared 200 of the largest cities across 15 key metrics to find the best places to wear green and save some, too. Our data set ranges from Irish pubs and restaurants per capita to the lowest price for a three-star hotel on St. Patrick’s Day to the weather forecast. This year, Americans are projected to spend $6.85 billion on the holiday.
So, let’s polish our blarney stone and take the ride to ask: Does Massachusetts Have The BEST City For St Patty’s Day?
20-Milwaukee, WI
With a 39 score for “traditions” I’d wonder if they even carry Guinness. But we do know Milwaukee has beer.
19-Dayton, OH
Wow! Top 10 in “traditions?” In Chicago they dye the river green, in Dayton, they dye their liver.
18-Orange, CA
With the low score of 80 in “traditions” there is nobody named Patrick in Orange, and the only thing green on St. Patrick’s Day are traffic lights. But they get great cost, and weather scores, which is why it came in a 18.
17-Cedar Rapids-IA
Good scores all around!! Maybe we need Iowa for the Corned BEEF. We also need Iowa corn to make beer.
16-Syracuse, NY
Syracuse takes this holiday as seriously as their college basketball. Coming in at #20 for “traditions” is pretty big! They have already started drinking. St Patrick’s Day is March 17. Syracuse started February 17th with Green Beer Sunday.
15-Tampa, FL
With a #3 in “traditions,” I’m not sure why Tampa isn’t higher on the list. But they do have the 6th Annual St Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl. Sounds FUN!
14-San Francisco, CA
#14 for “traditions” is big! Plus you get high scores for weather. Add to that TWO parades and a block party.
12-WORCESTER, MA!!!
Yes!! My hometown is the #12 BEST City for St. Patty’s Day!!!
Worcester has A GREAT parade and a proud Irish Community.
Worcester’s own Dennis Leary is proud.
11-Henderson, NV
I have never heard of Henderson, Nevada, either. But their parade is listed as “a three day event.” So there.
10-Boise, ID
If the “traditions” score comes in at 21, you know they are ready. You can Google a whole week of parties, runs, and parades and events. Plus we need Idaho potatoes for the meals.
9-Buffalo, NY
Why does Buffalo get a FAT NUMBER FOUR in “traditions?” The Irish and Germans are the two LARGEST immigrant groups in Buffalo. Come visit me for October Fest.
8-Naperville, IL
If you don’t want the big city Chicago version, about an hour west, is the quaint Naperville version. According to Wallethub, you’ll save money.
7-Santa Rosa, CA
North of San Francisco, Santa Rosa deserves #7. The population is 176,938. 63,000, are Irish. That’s around 35%. Let’s go!!
6-Reno, NV
Not counting Hispanic, Irish and German are the biggest immigrant groups in NV!
5-New York, NY
The Irish population in New York is 5.3 %, the second largest non Hispanic group. You can’t go wrong here, on March 17th.
4-Pittsburgh, PA
That’s our boy, Pittsburg native, Scott Zolak, one of the two radio voices of the Patriots. On this survey, Pittsburgh checks off all the boxes. Any city that gave us ZO, can’t be wrong.
3-Chicago, IL
I have had first hand experience here! People take March 17th off in Chicago, AND the next day. It’s a party you never forget, (well not all of it) starting when you wake up, on March 18th. Plus, this was the Parade in Harrison Ford’s “The Fugitive!”
2-Philadelphia
I really want to get to #1. But I must say, a THREE hour parade, 20,000 attendees, broadcast on TV LIVE, and then REPLAYED on March 17th. Philly LOVES St Patty’s Day!
1-BOSTON!!
YEP! We knew it! The first time we heard the phrase, green beer, it was here. Beating EVEN New York City, Boston has the highest IRISH population in America. If we can’t be in Ireland, Boston is THE place for St Patty’s Day!!!
See the fill list, here!