Celebrating the Green: The History of St.
Patrick's Day
Wednesday, March 17th at 7 PM

Each year on March 17, a sea of green sweeps up
New York's Fifth Avenue in the largest St.
Patrick's Day parade in the nation. On the other
side of the Atlantic, towns throughout Ireland
honor the man who brought Christianity to the
Emerald Isle with feasts and festivals.
Celebrating the Green shows how Irish immigrants
in America transformed a religious festival into
a celebration of all things Irish, and St.
Patrick's Day became a nationwide phenomenon. In
the 235 years since the first small St. Patrick's
Day parade in New York, Irish immigrants in
America have seen this day as an opportunity to
celebrate their heritage. Explore the unique
heritage of St. Patrick's Day in America with
members of the Ancient Order of the Hibernians,
who are in charge of New York's festivities, and
examine the controversy that has surrounded the
parade in recent years. This program is an
excellent opportunity for classroom discussion of
U.S. immigration history, how holidays are made
and transformed, and the dynamics of ethnic
identity in the contemporary United States.