St. Patrick’s Day in Boston

Posted March 23, 2024 by Emma Hayden

One of the best parts of being in Boston during March is the city’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities, which took place this past weekend (March 17th)! Everyone gets into the holiday spirit, and people from all over the greater Boston area come into the city to celebrate. A highlight of the holiday weekend is a yearly visit from Irish rock band the Dropkick Murphys at MGM Fenway, and “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” can be heard in every neighborhood’s bars and pubs which are usually decked out in green decorations and Irish flags. 

While some like to get out of the city to avoid the crowds, I was really excited this year to see the annual South Boston St. Patrick’s Day/Evacuation Day parade. If you want to learn more about the parade’s history you can check out the website! As a dual degree student at Simmons, I am currently taking a public history course where we have been visiting and interacting with a lot of Boston’s history. Inspired by this class and conversations I have had with my classmates about Boston’s history, I wanted to see what a large public history event like the parade would look like in Boston. Not only was South Boston’s Irish history celebrated, but pride for the city, in general, was very apparent with most members of the parade crowd wearing Celtics merchandise or some Boston-related clothing. The parade featured guests like South Boston youth sports teams and dance schools, local businesses, and the Irish Wolfhound Association of New England! I was even pleasantly surprised to see a friend of mine in the parade! 

In moments of celebration like the parade or various other St. Patrick’s Day-themed celebrations around the city, I am reminded of how many people call Boston home, especially during the school year. With numerous universities, lots of young professionals, families, and those who have called Boston home for decades, it was really special to see everyone out celebrating!