The story goes that St. Patrick was the patron saint of Ireland. Legend has it that St. Patrick wasn’t even Irish - he was British! As a teenager, he was kidnapped by the Irish. After escaping captivity, he fled back to England. He returned a number of years later as a missionary with the intent of spreading the Christian faith to the Irish.
The famous shamrock is associated with St. Patrick because it is said that he used it to explain the trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - to the Irish people he was ministering to. He lived the rest of his life in service to the Irish people, and he died on March 17th, 461. St. Patrick was largely forgotten for hundreds of years until stories of him and the life he lived resurfaced and local Irish began to recognize him as a saint. Over the centuries, St. Patrick’s Day evolved from a simple day of remembrance to a day of celebration.
Today, we celebrate St. Patrick with parades, beer, wearing green, and sporting t-shirts that say, “Kiss Me I’m Irish” - even if we’re NOT Irish! All over the country, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated in fun and unique ways!
For instance, Chicago celebrates St. Patrick’s Day every year with its green river! To kick off the day, city officials dye the river a bright shade of green. Boston, the US city with the greatest concentration of Irish Americans, hosts one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day parades in the nation.
Every year, it attracts millions of spectators. It also hosts a famous St. Patrick’s Day road race. Savannah, Georgia hosts another sizable parade that attracts over 400,000 people every year. Savannah lights up the city with green fountains, live music, and activities for everyone.
Locally here in the Twin Cities, there is no shortage of festivities! Nicollet Mall hosts a St. Patrick’s Day Parade. A number of Irish pubs light up the night with karaoke, beer, and specials on traditional Irish food. At the Mall of America, a local Irish dance troupe will be giving a demonstration on how to do the Irish jig!
So, with all the excitement, how could someone take this annual holiday and work it into a fun, classy, professional themed event?
Decor
As it goes with St. Patrick’s Day, it’s all about the green! A venue could be transformed easily by using the gorgeous emerald green as a backdrop, with gold accents to offset.
Entertainment
Irish entertainment is great fun! Irish dancing, flutists, beer flights and tastings could all be incorporated into a St. Patrick’s Day themed event. Bagpipes are popular in Irish celebrations and could be incorporated in a fun and unobtrusive way.
Food
It’s not a St. Patrick’s Day celebration without corned beef! An event can feature Irish soda bread, and anything mixed with Irish Whiskey! Shepherd’s pie, Rueben sandwiches, corned beef and cabbage, shamrock shaped desserts, and of course, Guinness.
St. Patrick’s Day is a fun, lively event that can be a great backdrop for any number of events.
What themes do you have in mind for your next celebratory event? We would love to help you make it a reality! Contact us today to schedule an appointment!
