Preparations begin for St. Patrick’s Day, one of Ireland’s most important national and cultural festivals. The parades will be held for the first time after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The parades, which have not been held since 2019 due to COVID-19, will be re-organized this year, after almost all pandemic restrictions are lifted. This decision, which was welcomed by Irish people around the world, will also be good for the society going through hard times due to the pandemic, officials say.
Irish officials hope that the festival will also contribute to the recovery of the tourism sector, which has been suffering from the pandemic. Before the pandemic, hundreds of thousands of people from overseas were visiting Ireland for celebrations.
St. Patrick’s Day is also one of the festivals with tourism potential in countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States of America as well as Ireland.
Although the COVID-19 restrictions have been largely lifted, a vaccination certificate is required for visitors to Ireland from abroad. The rate of those who complete all their vaccinations in Ireland is around 80%. However, health experts warn that people should still be cautious and wear masks in crowded and closed areas.
When are the St. Patrick’s Day 2022 parades?
The St. Patrick’s Day parade will be held in Ireland on Thursday, March 17. The Irish people will have four days to celebrate, as the Irish government also declared Friday a holiday. The holidays will also apply to Irish Embassies around the world.
St. Patrick’s Day is also celebrated in countries where Irish people live, such as the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Russia, Norway and Japan. Apart from these, Irish pubs almost all over the world serve green beer for this special day. In countries where St. Patrick’s Day is not a public holiday, parades are usually organized the weekend before St. Patrick’s Day.
St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated every year on March 17, the anniversary of St. Patrick’s death. Clovers and green color are the most important symbols of the festival.1 That’s why the Chicago River is dyed green every year for celebrations. In addition, people take care to wear green in parades and on the street. In restaurants and pubs, many snacks, cocktails and green drinks such as green beer are prepared for St. Patrick’s Day.
Preparations begin for St. Patrick’s Day, one of Ireland’s most important national and cultural festivals. The parades will be held for the first time after the COVID-19 pandemic.
- “The Wearing of the Green – A History of St Patrick’s Day” Mike CRONIN & Daryl ADAIR, Routledge, ISBN: 9780415359122[↩]