Every March, New England paints itself green to honor its rich Irish past. Here are some of our picks for the Best St. Patrick’s Day parades in New England.
St. Patrick’s Day Queen Fiona Stewart and Honor Attendant Kate Thompson at the 2013 New Haven St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
Photo Credit : Bill O'Brien
Whether you mark the day with a loaded plate of corned beef and cabbage, pints of green beer, or an enthusiastic attempt at dancing an Irish jig (we know — those fifes and fiddles can make us do strange things), it’s almost always more fun to celebrate with a crowd at one of New England’s many St. Patrick’s Day parades!
The South Boston annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade is so large and well known we thought we’d take this opportunity to share a few of our other favorite St. Patrick’s Day 2020 parades throughout New England, but if you simply can’t resist the region’s biggest Boston Irish party you can visit their website or learn more about Yankee’s take on the South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade. No matter where you go for St. Patrick’s Day 2020, you’re going to have a good time!
The parade at Maine’s Bath Blarney Days (canceled for 2017) | Best St. Patrick’s Day Events in New England
Cape Cod’s largest St. Patrick’s Day parade takes place in Yarmouth, Massachusetts, where participants decked out in green, fancy cars, and spunky bands march through the town.
In Rhode Island, Newport’s day of Irish fun kicks off with a two-hour parade featuring pipe and marching bands, fife and drum corps, reenactment units, and numerous local, state, and regional organizations. Don your best green and don’t miss it!
Located on the “Irish Riviera” of the Massachusetts South Shore, the 2.3 mile Scituate St. Patrick’s Day Parade has been delighting a growing crowd of onlookers since 1995. Enjoy music, floats, and old-fashioned Irish fun.
St. Patrick’s Day Queen Fiona Stewart and Honor Attendant Kate Thompson at the 2013 New Haven St. Patrick’s Day Parade, one of our picks for the Best St. Patrick’s Day Events in New England.
Greater New Haven, Connecticut, has been rolling out the green carpet for St. Patrick with a parade dating back to 1842. The largest single-day spectator event in the State of Connecticut (Hartford gets in on the action, too) features 3,000 marchers and musical units celebrating the diversity of many cultures.
A road race, parade, pageant, and the annual John F. Kennedy National Awardee Dinner are all part of the fun and community spirit on display at the annual Holyoke, Massachusetts, celebration of all things Irish.
Manchester, New Hampshire, turns green with Irish pride each year, first with the Shamrock Shuffle road race, and then with the main event — an action-packed parade featuring pipe and marching bands, plus numerous marching units. It’s the city’s largest community event of the year with, more than 70,000 attending and participating.
Ready for St. Patrick’s Day 2020? Let us know what your favorite St. Patrick’s Day events in New England are!
This post was first published in 2014 and has been updated.
As Digital Editor of New England.com, Aimee writes, manages, and promotes content for NewEngland.com and its social media channels. Before this role, she served as assistant, then associate, editor for Yankee Magazine and YankeeMagazine.com, where she was nominated for a City and Regional Magazine Association award for Best Blog. A lifelong New Englander, Aimee loves history, the New Hampshire seacoast, and a good Massachusetts South Shore bar pizza.
