Fun Facts About St Patrick’s Day
If you are making plans to join us for the Patty in the Parc festivities at Parc International in downtown Lafayette on Saturday, March 17, we are just as excited as you are about being Irish for the day!
I realized I don't know a heck of a lot about St Patrick, or why we celebrate this day every year with green beer, cabbage, corned beef, parades, and of course, more green beer. For insight into St Patrick, and why we love to celebrate this festive holiday, here are a few facts you might not know, from UPI, and Irishcentral.com.
- We honor St Patrick on the date of his death, not his birth
- St Patrick is indeed the patron saint of Ireland
- St Patrick never chased the snakes out of Ireland - evidence suggests there weren't that many of the slithery creatures to worry about
- St Patrick was not actually born in Ireland, but in part of Great Britain that was controlled by the Roman Empire
- The very first St Patrick's Day Parade rolled in New York City in 1760
- In Chicago, Plumbers Union #110 dye the Chicago River Kelly green each St Patrick's Day, and it lasts for about 5 hours
- Over 10 million pints of Guinness beer is consumed on St Patrick's Day, world wide.
Happy St Patrick's Day, and be sure to purchase your advance tickets for Patty in the Parc, featuring Wayne Toups and Better Than Ezra. Patty in the Parc is brought to you by Townsquare Media Live Events, in conjunction with Downtown Alive!