Best U.S. city on St. Patrick's Day?
 

I just wanted an excuse to say Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I never go out on St. Pat's. Too many drinkers, too much green vomit.

Chicago?

Boston ?

I've heard Savannah is fun...anyone actually been there on St. Patty's? Chicago is, indeed, fun!

Not being Irish, I've stopped the wearin' of the green and the consumption of the green beer. Still, Happy St. Paddy's Day to all!

And I think Boston and NYC might give Chicago a run for the "Best US city on SPD", Alice. It sure as hell isn't Long Beach, CA....

Butch McGuires in chicago. Best SPD partys.

Butte, Montana

I'm amused by the comments about green beer. What in the world does that have to with being Irish or St. Patrick's Day? No self-respecting Irishman would ever indulge in something as silly and disgusting as green beer.

I had my corned beef and cabbage with a pint of Harp today at a very authentic British pub (sorry, not Irish) in Naples, Florida. Saturday I'll be marching in the Naples St. Patrick's Day parade (OK, so it's a little late.)

BOSTON!

I was in Dublin several years ago for St Paddy's day and people there said Chicago was the place to be. This was the first year they dyed the Liffey river green, something they copied from Chicago actually.

I've also heard that Savannah has a huge St. Paddy's Day.

went to Savannah 2x for St. Paddys Day-great parade-great riverfront party- make hotel reserv. a year in advance. Well worth it.

New York is crazy today. I vote for Boston.

I think it's obvious. After all of the stats we have read here it has to be San Jose.
Borg# 194823
@-) @-) @-) @-) @-) @-) @-) @-) @-) @-)
@-) @-) @-) @-) @-) @-) @-) @-) @-) @-)

Definitely Chicago. It must be fun to see the Chicago River in green.

Another vote for Boston

My husband's in Chicago on business and I'm stuck here with the kids. :(

I lived in Savannah for 4 years so spent 4 St Patricks Days there, and lived in the midst of the celebrations to boot. Our first year there our son's college spring break fell during that period and he came back from Texas for it. I remember so well his critique of the festivities: "It's the first time I've ever seen adults drunker than the kids in the dorm on a Saturday night!" So...if that's what fun is about, then it's an absolutely fab time!

Personally I have to say Denver. 10 years ago today I met my husband at a place called Duffys. Neither one of intended to be there, so it's one of those "meant-to-be" kind of things.

Anybody ever been to Duffys? It's practically older than Denver and is considered a "Denver Institution".

Happy St. Patty's everyone!

Every year except for this year, my gay boyfriend and I have traveled the country looking for the best St. Patricks Party.

So far we have done Savannah, Chicago, New York City, and Boston.

They were each fun, wild, crazy and different in their own way. The year we were in Savannah, St. Patricks Day fell on Saturday. The year we were in Chicago, the not Irish Irish parade had President Bush as Grand Marshall.

My point is, if you have a chance to celebrate in any of the above cities, go for it.

Boston man, it's the only place!!!

I agree; South Boston is a blast!!

Savannah!!! The party started Thursday night, was going strong Friday, Saturday was wild and it may be still going on.

Oh, and yeah. They had a parade too. I think it's really a chance to see who can drink the most, get the sickest and still keep from falling in the River.

Last year, some fool didn't want to use one of those porta-potties, so he decided to avail himself the gas tank of a nearby car. Got the picture????? and it was a police car!!

New Orleans!

Parasols Block Party in the Irish Channel! Can't be beat!

http://www.nola.com/stpatricks/

Rosemary1 (Hope you see this, or maybe not...)

"Anybody ever been to Duffys? It's practically older than Denver and is considered a "Denver Institution".

Duffy's was sold and closed a few months ago! So sorry to break the news. It was where I always went for lunch in St. Patty's Day - amazing how they moved hordes of people in and out of the restaurant for their corned beef lunches!

(Hit Post too early)

Denver IS a great city for St. Pat's Day, and mind you, this is from a girl who grew up in South Boston! We have the longest parade west of the Mississippi, and lots of Sons of the Auld Sod and their progeny here! We have a ton of great Irish pubs, including my new fave, The Irish Snug, on Colfax. Of course, there's still 354 days until next SPD, but plenty of time to practice, practice, practice.

Tipperary Hill in Syracuse, NY..
The only stop light where the green is on top.
http://cny-signals.tripod.com/en/syr...erary_hill.htm

I live in the Atlantic City, NJ area; and I wouldn't celebrate St. Patty's Day anywhere else. The local bars put on a great show, and the best is the following day at the Irish Pub. The Irish Pub hosts Bag Day every year on March 18th. You can't get served without wearing a paper bag on your head. It is meant to symbolized "Being in the Bag" from the night before. People go all out decorating their bags. They even hand out prizes for the best bag.

I would definitely have to say that AC, NJ is the best place to celebrate St. Patty's!

Not just Irish ancestry, but Irish immigrants coming RIGHT NOW, are centered around Southwest Chicago suburbs proper, Chicago Ridge, Oak Lawn etc. areas.

They do NOT do the Irish downtown Chicago parade on St. Patrick's Day weekend but are part of a huge (300,000 this year)Southside Irish parade and party along Western Ave. in Beverly and running into Mt. Greenwood and westward. It's on the Saturday before Mar. 17 every year (and they don't go to work Monday after either, I know because they were supposed to put my concrete in that day).

This is the place to be and it isn't on the 17th. On the 17th they are still having pub parties though.

The one that just occurred was so wild that now the 50 or 60 block area has all kinds of authority and neighborhood organizations petitioning to disallow/ restrict its being held separately and where it is.

Some students that went didn't come back to class until Tuesday too, and they had only just had Spring Break 2 weeks before. Not good.

Painting themselves, drinking, dancing, and eating (usually Italian food LOL!) goes on despite weather or barricades. It's become so big that it has spilled out into blocks two to 5 blocks on each side of Western Ave. and into all the pubs and restaurants for 2 or 3 miles West. Definitely into Orland Park, Tinley, Oak Forest (Gaelic Park there is a mob scene)etc.

I hear celebrities are even starting to show up. Bill Murray and Bernie Mac etc.

JJ5 - I was at the parade this year and it seemed particularly rowdy. I did have a good time with the family, but it was a bit embarrassing to see all those clearly underage kids very drunk. I grew up knowing a guy who used to live one block away from the parade route and he reports that he is glad he moved over by 92nd street because people have become less and less respectful of the fact that it takes place in a neighborhood that people actually live in. As I was walking back to the car with my parents, it was appalling to see how many people just dumped their garbage in other peoples front yards. I wonder if the parade has gotten a bit too popular.

Oh yes, Vittrad, on all of the above. Our "Speak Out" in the newspapers and especially in the Southtown/Herald (their slogan is "People Up North Just Don't Get It")is STILL about "the problem" nearly two weeks later.

I believe it about the underage visual drinking everywhere, because I have many witnesses. But all the garbage and garage/ alley/ yard mess (urinating everywhere too despite the porta-potties)is and has been a problem for years. By my Dad's too, which is 84th Pl. in Ashburn. (He has yellow snow in the alley quite often- and not just on St. Paddy's.)

So I do think it will be regulated more soon too.

Part of the trouble is that when anything is downtown they have Streets and San. come right after the parade with literally sweepers as far as you can see, and the blowers that clean the private yards and parkways etc. But having it where it is- they never do seem to get the equipment south of Pershing Rd. (LOL!)

Kind of like the buses and els, to me!

But I think it may have peaked now because it is going to probably be more boys in blue next year.