March is here and it is time to think green! Not the putting green, the Master's golf tournament is next month, but Irish green. That's right - St. Patrick's Day is here again. Brush up on your best Irish accent, bust out the shamrock shaped glasses and get ready to head to Savannah for the biggest celebration of the year.
Like many holidays St. Patrick's Day originated from a religious background. St. Patrick was the patron saint of Ireland for over 30 years. He is credited with converting many Gaelic Irish to Christianity and set up many schools and churches during his mission in Ireland. He was very successful at winning converts and made several important ones among royal families. As a boy Patrick was stolen from his family at an early age and sold into slavery in Ireland. While imprisoned he dreamed of seeing God. He later escaped and dedicated his life to teaching the Irish the ways of God.
Many legends have sprung from Patrick and his work, the most famous being the shamrock. Stories say that he used the three leaf shamrock to explain the Trinity; the combination of Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Patrick died on March 17th, AD 461 and this day has been known as St. Patrick's Day since then.
Originally a Catholic holy day it has now evolved into a celebration of all things Irish and a time when many can be Irish for at least one day.
Similar to Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the St Patrick's Day celebration in Savannah should not be missed. This event is the second largest St Patrick's Day celebration in the United States and plays host to over 300,000 wannabe Irish.
During this event the fountains are flowing green, beer is dyed green and in some restaurants you can order green eggs and ham. The city stops at nothing to get you into the spirit of St. Patrick's Day. You will meet people (or be one of those people yourself) with green hair, dyed especially for the occasion. Green clothing, shamrock glasses, big funny hats, beads, all of these are used to honor the day. This event, held on River Street, is nothing but pure fun!
The big St. Patrick's Day parade begins at 10:15 a.m. on Friday, March 14th. This is a change because the parade is usually held on Saturday so be sure to mark your calendar. The parade begins at Gwinnett and Abercorn and ends at Harris Street. In my opinion the best area to view the parade is at Bay Street, mainly because I have been and will be returning to River Street.
If you would like to find out more about the parade and other events there are several websites you can check out. Visit www.savannahsaintpatricksday.com, savannhnow.com, www.savannahvisit.com or www.stpatty.com, for maps, T-shirts, parade routes and other need to know information during the festival. I hope to see you at this big bash. I will be all in green and at the end of the day probably sporting the hat and glasses mentioned earlier! It is a great day full of authentic Irish music, Celtic dances, great food and drink along with friendly people. "Erin Go Bragh" (Ireland Forever)!
See ya next month!
Kathy
Questions or comments? Contact Kathy anytime.
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