An Urbanist’s Guide to St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations

On March 17, millions of people across the U.S. will don the color green, eat and drink traditional fare, and attend parades in celebration of Irish and Irish American culture. The holiday has been observed in what is now the United States since 1601, long before the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

When it comes to St. Patrick’s Day festivities, most people immediately think of Boston, Philadelphia, and New York, which have some of the largest concentrations of Irish descendants in the country — and know how to throw a great party. In honor of this year’s holiday, we’ve gathered a list of five cities and towns, some lesser known, whose St. Patty’s Day traditions are inextricably urbanist.

1. Chicago, Illinois (pop. 2.7 million)

The annual dye job of the Chicago River is one of the most iconic St. Patrick’s Day traditions in the United States. But did you know it originated from a water quality management technique? In the 1950s, the city used green dye to identify leaky sewage pipes as part of its efforts to clean up the river downtown. Then, in 1962, the Plumbers Local Union decided to dump 100 pounds of the dye into the river to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. The tradition stuck.

2. New London, Wisconsin (pop. 7,320)

On March 17 each year, locals of Irish descent (and a few who wish they were) in this Midwestern town dress up as leprechauns and go around changing the town’s name from New London to New Dublin on road signs. They then hold a parade, complete with a parody of an Irish funeral procession called Finnegan’s Wake.

3. Hot Springs, Arkansas (pop. 38,114)

This city hosts the world’s smallest St. Patrick’s Day parade — not for lack of participants or crowds but rather because it takes place on Bridge Street, which is only 98 feet long (the length of approximately three school buses). Fun fact: Bridge Street is the second shortest street in the U.S. (beat out only by 30-foot McKinley Street in Bellefontaine, Ohio) and the fifth shortest street in the entire world.

4. O’Neill, Nebraska (pop. 3,537)

Known as the Irish Capital of Nebraska, this town holds the world record for the largest permanent shamrock. The 65' x 55’ ode to Ireland is built out of concrete in the middle of the town’s main intersection. It’s touched up annually with 20 gallons of green paint.

5. San Antonio, Texas (pop. 1.45 million)

In this city’s annual St. Patrick’s Day River Parade, the floats literally float! Celebrants can view the festivities — and the dyed green river — from a 2.5-mile stretch of the beautiful San Antonio Riverwalk, which is lined by restaurants and shops. The 15-mile man-made waterway is admired by urban planners around the globe for its design, walkability, and mixed-use development.

Know another urbanism-tinged St. Patrick's Day tradition? Let us know in the comments.