St. Patrick’s Day is a cultural and religious holiday celebrated on March 17, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (c. 385461), the foremost patron saint of Ireland.
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, cils, and the wearing of green attire or shamrocks.
The first St. Patrick’s Day parade was held in Boston in 1737. The first parade in Chicago was held in 1956 and has been held every year since. The parade is one of the largest in the world, with over 200,000 people attending in 2019.
