Fun Facts: Saint Patrick's Day in Boston
The city of Boston is known for having a very large Irish community, but did you know that Boston is also one of the best places to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day?
In fact, Saint Patrick's Day in Boston dates back over 200 years ago! The very first St. Patrick's Day parade was not in Ireland; it was in Boston in 1737!
If you're thinking about studying English in Boston, March is definitely a fun time to visit! Here are the recommendations from our students and staff for the most fun things to do on this holiday:
1) St. Patrick’s Day Parade
The famous Boston Saint Patrick's Day Parade takes place on March 17th every year. The parade is listed as the second largest parade in the country and features dozens of bagpipers and marching bands from Ireland, Boston, and across the United States, plus colorful floats and more! For those keen to go, we have been told that the best thing to is to find a spot anywhere along Broadway for the best view.
Official Parade website: http://www.southbostonparade.org
2) St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl (register at barcrawls.com )
Boston always has an amazing Saint Patrick's Day line-up of parties and pub crawls. As the holiday is about all things Irish, you will be expected to wear green and gold as you discover all the best pubs and bars in the area. They take it so seriously that you can book your tickets a year in advance!
Barcrawls Website: www.barcrawls.com
Crawl times: 11 AM - 9 PM
Registration: 11 AM - 6 PM
Participating bars: Goodbar, Kitty O'Shea's, The Place, Market, Rumor Nightclub, Royale, Venu, Cure Lounge, Underbar, Guilt
3) The Stone Zoo celebrates Irish heritage
Every Saturday during March, the Stone Zoo in Boston hosts a variety cultural experiences and activities, including Irish step-dancing, Gaelic football, and scavenger hunts. Even better, we've heard that the zoo’s animals take part in the celebrations too!
Stone Zoo website: http://www.zoonewengland.org/stonezoo
4) Eating typical Irish cuisine
Whether you want to start the day on a full Irish breakfast, or finish your partying with a plate of real Irish food; there are lots of restaurants in Boston that offer great deals:
Cheers (Faneuil) - This is the perfect location for a special corned beef & cabbage and Irish beef stew dinner. There is also a live band playing to entertain you while you eat.
Black Rose - The Black Rose is in the heart of the tourist area of Boston. It opens at 8 am where you can have a nice Irish breakfast. Insiders have told us that they've also been known to hand out free Irish breakfasts on March 17th!
The Beehive - The Beehive offers live music and a menu that is inspired by food and drink from Ireland. On Saint Patrick's Day, the restaurant will be serving corned beef and cabbage flatbread with sauerkraut and cheese and Finaan Haddie smoked fish and chips. Sounds YUMMY!
Are you thinking of celebrating Saint Patrick's Day in Boston next year? What are the celebrations like in your hometown?
Kaplan has English schools in Boston, and if you'd like to know more about them, you can chat to the students and staff on their school Facebook pages: