St. Patrick’s Day is coming up soon! Celebrated each year on March 17th, it is one of the Western world’s biggest yearly celebrations of Irish culture and heritage. The actual St. Patrick is the figure most prominently associated with bringing Christianity to Ireland, and the day chosen marks the day he was accepted to have died. St. Patrick’s Day is also celebrated by the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland as a solemnity and holy day of obligation, with the inclusion of a Ceilidh band it would be well and truly a fully fledged St. Patrick’s Day.
Few details are found in history about St. Patrick’s mission to Ireland, but his legacy lives on through popular legend in Irish culture. A popular myth says that St. Patrick used the three leaves of the shamrock plant to explain Catholicism’s holy trinity to the Irish, which led to both the plant and the color green being strongly associated with the holiday.
All around the Pacific Northwest, there are events and celebrations that you can join in and enjoy while celebrating your Irish heritage- even if it’s just honorary. After all, everyone’s Irish on St. Pat’s! However, if you do have Irish heritage in your family, but aren’t sure which side or how much, you can click here now to see how you can go back in your family’s history for clarification.
Sunday, March 15, 2015
stpatsdash.com
Run, Walk, Jog or Crawl to the St. Patrick’s Day dash! Started in 1985 as a race between bars and as a training event for an Irish Olympian, it’s now Seattle’s largest single-distance run where the winners cross the finish before the last person Starts. The Dash fills nearly four miles of Seattle streets with a ribbon of green. Funds raised are directed to local organizations who provide critical support and services to youth in our community. The Dash is filled with plenty of people who first ran the event as kids, and are now running or walking with their strollers and (grand) parents. With years of success the Dash continues to attract generations of participants.
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
12:30 pm, Saturday, March 14, 2015
irishclub.org/st-patricks-day-parade
Seattle’s Irish Heritage Club will be running the 44th annual St. Patrick’s day parade on Saturday, March 14th. The Parade travels north on 4th Ave starting from Jefferson to the Reviewing Stand at Westlake Park, and officially ends at the Seattle Center with Closing Ceremonies at 2 PM. The Monorail will be free from 1:30 – 2:30 pm for travel from Westlake Park to the Seattle Center to participate in the 2015 Irish Festival. If you’d like to be part of the parade itself, all you have to do is show up! Pre-registration is available for those who’d like to participate with their own signs or banners.
2015 Irish Festival
Saturday and Sunday, March 14 & 15, 2015
irishclub.org/irish-festival-seattle
The Irish Heritage Club will also be putting on Seattle’s 2015 Irish Festival in the Seattle Center house. The Festival features booths selling Irish and Celtic products, non-stop Irish music, singing, dancing, workshops, lectures, cultural displays, children’s contests and activities, etc. Festival Highlights also include Genealogy Workshops, Irish Language Workshops, Cultural Exhibits and more. Family-oriented activities include wonderful Irish Musicians along with Champion Irish Stepdancers from around the Pacific Northwest. Events for children include the “Smilingest Irish Eyes Contest” and the “Most Irish-Looking Face Contest”, and other activities in the Children’s Activities Center. It’s fun for the whole family!
St. Patrick’s Day Ceilidh-bration
Saturday, March 14, 2015
celticarts.org/events/st-patricks-event
The Celtic Arts Foundation will be putting on their St. Patrick’s “Ceilidh-bration” Dinner in Mt. Vernon, now in its fifth year. This is a great event if you want a traditional take on the holiday, as you’ll get to experience corned beef, colcannon (potatoes & cabbage), roasted carrots, and more! Irish whiskey, Guinness, wines, and other traditional beverages will be available While you eat, you’ll be able to enjoy Irish step dancers, both hard and soft toe, and traditional Irish music! Tons of fun, and a great celebration of heritage.
kirklandshamrockrun.eventbrite.com
The Kirkland Shamrock Run is a fun-filled 5k celebrating Kirkland, healthy living, and of course St. Patrick’s Day! Come join multitudes of other Irish culture enthusiasts on March 14th, 2015 to run or walk through downtown Kirkland. Benefiting local non-profits, this event has become a tradition for many area residents. Be sure to join the post-race party at Wilde Rover for a pint! Registration is now open, so sign up today!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
