St. Patrick’s Day 2010

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What’s the best way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day short of jetting off for Belfast, Dublin, Armagh, or Drogheda? Check out some of these events a little closer to home.

Baltimore, MD

Baltimore’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration starts with a champagne brunch on Saturday, March 14, from 11 a.m.–1:30 p.m. at the Camden Club in the B&O Warehouse next to Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Brunch is followed by a 5K run at 1:15 p.m. at Charles and Franklin Streets and then the parade at 2 p.m. at the Washington Monument, continuing to Pratt Street and Market Place. For more information on Baltimore’s planned events see their website.

Boston, MA

Is there a more Irish city in the United States than Boston? The 2010 St. Patrick’s Day parade kicks off at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 14, in South Boston at the Broadway ‘T’ Station and ends at Andrew Square. For more information on Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities see the Boston Central website.

Butte, MT

Butte’s biggest annual event is St. Patrick’s Day, when uptown is decked out with shamrocks and a big parade turns the streets into a sea of green. This year’s parade will be held on Wednesday, March 17 stepping off at 11 a.m. at Mercury and Colorado Streets, winding through town to Mercury and Dakota Streets. The parade route unofficially ends at any of the local Irish bars or many restaurants serving special corned beef and cabbage. Check out the Butte Convention & Visitors Bureau website for more details.

Columbia, SC

The main public event on the calendar for downtown Columbia is the annual St. Patrick’s Day Festival ($15) on Saturday, March 13, in Five Points. The conglomeration of bars and the cozy streets make for a vivacious Celtic celebration. There are five stages of live music, various kids’ activities, and of course, a big parade starting at 10 a.m. at Millwood Ave. and Devine St. Check out the Five Points events website for more St. Patrick’s Day activities.

Denver, CO

Denver’s 48th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 13 has a Shamrockin’ theme this year, spotlighting the significant contributions the Irish have made to music over the years. The parade starts at 10 a.m. from 27th St. and Blake, proceeds west on Blake to 17th St. and terminates at the Coors Field parking lot. You can find the exact parade route here.

Philadelphia, PA

Philadelphia’s home to the second oldest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the United States, which lines up on Sunday, March 14th along JFK Blvd and steps off at 11 a.m. on Benjamin Franklin Parkway at JFK Plaza. The parade proceeds along the north parkway, passing Eakins Oval and the Philadelphia Museum of Art on Kelly Drive and ends near the historic mansions in Fairmount Park. For more information see Philadelphia’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade website.

San Antonio, TX

San Antonio’s distinctive St. Patrick’s Day celebration features both land- and river-based parades. On Saturday, March 13, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade starts at 11 a.m. from 3rd and Avenue E. At 2 p.m., city officials will use 35 pounds of environmentally safe green dye to tint the San Antonio River the color o’ the Irish, followed by the St. Patrick’s Day River Parade at 3 p.m. Following the parade, head to Arneson River Theater from 1–6 p.m. for Irish music and dancing. The Harp and Shamrock Society of Texas organizes the annual festivities.

San Francisco, CA

The City of San Francisco celebrates St. Patrick’s Day beginning on Friday, March 12 with the raising of the Irish flag at the City Hall Rotunda. But the main event, the 159th Annual St. Patrick’s Day parade, is on Saturday, March 13th 11:30 a.m. The parade route runs from 2nd and Harrison to Civic Center; the festival will be open until 5 p.m. For more information, check out the United Irish Societies of San Francisco website.

Savannah, GA

Savannah’s citywide St. Patrick’s Day celebration generally lasts at least half a week and temporarily triples the population. Festivities begin on Friday and Saturday, March 12 and 13 this year, with a Pre-St. Pat’s Bash at the Rousakis Riverfront Plaza on historic River Street, but the main event is on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 16 and 17. The 186th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Savannah starts on March 17 at 10:15 a.m. from Hall and Abercorn Streets and culminates at Harris and Bull streets after a nearly three-hour route through the city. You can see the exact parade route and get a full schedule of events here.

Sedona, AZ

The city of Sedona hosts its 40th Annual Sedona St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival on Saturday, March 6 this year. The parade begins at 10:30 a.m. from Jordan Historical Park and proceeds to Mesquite Avenue. The festival begins immediately following the parade, featuring live entertainment, free children’s and family activities, food vendors, and, of course, a beer garden. For more information, see the festival website.

Did I miss your favorite St. Patrick’s Day event? Tell me, how do you plan to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year?

Gayle Hart
Moon.com Content Editor