U.S. Celebrations for St. Patrick's Day

It’s that special time of year again when green beer is plentiful, and pinching is encouraged. Here’s some of the best St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the United States.

• Boston: Rumored to be the birthplace of the St. Patrick’s day celebrations we know today, this city’s four-day hoopla is nothing to be ignored. The main event is the South Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday, which is the second largest in the country. People can spot the event from almost anywhere on Broadway Street.
• New York City: Estimated to have more than two million attendees, the Big Apple has the longest continuously running parade in the world with more than 150,000 marchers. You’ll find people of all ages decked out in green traipsing all over the city.  The parade goes from 44th Street, up the famous Fifth Avenue and past the historical St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The city will also be hosting its first Sober St. Patrick’s Day, to offer a more family-friendly alternative.
• Chicago: The Windy City goes all out to celebrate. Since 1962, 40 pounds of environmentally friendly dye is poured into the Chicago River to turn the water green. More than 400,000 spectators come out to see the river change colors, and the best place to get a view is between Wabash and Columbus on the Chicago River Walkway. Catch the dying on Saturday at 10 a.m., and then head over to the parade.
• Savannah: Maybe noted as more of one of the least-suspecting St. Patty’s Day spots, this little Southern Belle begins celebrating two weeks before the actual holiday. On Saturday, marchers will begin their three-hour parade through the historic park district, passing city fountains that have been dyed green.
• New Orleans: This week-long celebration, which began March 11 is equipped with beads, booze and floats from Fat Tuesday, so keep the kids at home for this one. The Big Easy does St. Paddy’s Mardi Gras-style with marching bands throw the ingredients of a typical Irish stew (cabbage, carrots and onions) into the crowd, along flowers. Block parties in the French Quarter keep rocking past Sunday.