Go Green : St.Patrick's Day

The calendar hits March first week and hints or perhaps more-than-just-hints of green pop-up everywhere. From bake shops selling green cookies to the most popular "party city" advertisements on TV, you cannot escape the green madness. Specially if you are from New York city, home to the largest St.Patrick's Day parade outside of Ireland, you rather blend in!

Celebrated every year in the 2nd week of March, the day is dedicated to the Irish Saint - St.Patrick's. This cultural and religious holiday is welcomed by the Irish and all the Irish wannabe's by being a part of and watching from the side walks of downtown New York - the famous St.Patrick's Day parade. The key to feel part of the crowd - YOU HAVE TO GO GREEN.
Locals and tourists all clad in shades of green clothes, funky green accessories like beads, beer, hats, green eye-liner and some even have rats on display, like the one I have on my head here(green of course!).


While crowds gather to enjoy the parade and watch as bag-pipers and performers march the streets, revelers have their own celebration happening alongside. The Irish pubs in the city score the highest on the party meter, while other pubs give out free shots for customers dressed in green.
Considering the Irish love their beers and on a day when gallons of it is being gulped down, get ready for some madness on the streets and down-under in the subways.

Last year, we were down there on the streets, scrambling to get shots of the performers at the parade and a sense of Irish patriotism. Its not only Irish vibrations we feel on ground but in the air too - This a little different, it is the strong smell (almost a stink) of Irish wannabe's strutting the streets of New York, leaving behind clouds of beer. This year round, we skipped the parade and decided to step outside later (when the weather opened up) that evening and oh-boy we were not prepared for what we saw!

As I have always said, when in New York, you are guaranteed to be entertained in more ways and places than you can ever imagine. On the subway ride, we got into one of the cars with a bunch of drunk Irish Wannabe's and from that moment on it was show-time. This one guy, put up a pole-dance show with the rest of his gang cheering him on, thank god he was not dressed like one ;-). The trains on this day are a green overload, with people shouting, screaming and giving the sane onlookers some nasty looks and one-liners.

All this said, it's religious for some and revelry for others. Either way, experience the madness, enjoy your free drinks and make merry as you get ready to welcome spring!