When people think of celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, their minds usually go straight to Ireland. Despite the fact that St. Patrick’s Day has been an official holiday for centuries, it wasn’t until recently that it started getting the attention it did in many other places around the world. St. Patrick’s Day is the day to celebrate your Irish descent, and if you’re not Irish, a chance to join in on the fun. So, sport your shamrocks and prepare yourself to celebrate this popular holiday as you travel to these unusual places:
Buenos Aires:
Yes, there is a rather large Irish community in Argentina, but it’s one of the only Irish communities that won’t be attending the untraditional events on their own holiday. Every year on St. Patty’s Day, the non-practicing folks flock to the street of Reconquista, which is home to quite a few Irish pubs. With a block party, dance music, and even a costume contest, it’s bound to be a good time.
Singapore:
Singapore is no stranger to festivals, but typically those fall more into the Asian genre. However, Singapore is actually the host of the largest St. Patrick’s Day festival in Southeast Asia, and it’ll definitely be an interesting experience. Even though this festival may not involve all the craziness that you might see in Buenos Aires, you can be sure to enjoy the contemporary Irish music, dances, performances, and a lovely parade to top it off.
Montserrat:
A little island in the Caribbean might be the last place you’d expect to see St. Patrick’s Day festivities going on, but the party they throw here is one of the best. St. Patrick’s Day is an official holiday here, and the celebrations seem to blend in with other cultural and historical factors of the island. The festival goes on for a week, celebrating Irish heritage with wearing green costumes, concerts, pub crawls, and even an African music festival. You can also just hit one of the many churches for a beautiful service, if that’s more of your thing.
Tokyo:
The Japanese certainly know how to dress up, and this holiday is just another way for them to have a ball. The parade is run by the Irish Network Japan, a group eager to promote the Irish culture here. Hanging out at an exciting parade lined with Irish and Japanese decor is no doubt unusual, but an experience nevertheless.
Moscow:
If you like your St. Patrick’s Day to be all sorts of organized chaos, then Moscow is the place to go. There are many different aspects of the event, some that are official, some unofficial; all crazy and fun. There are parades, carnies, music, lots of Guinness, and tons of activities going on throughout this large city.
Munich:
Any excuse to drink is all that Germans need to celebrate a holiday that’s really not relevant to them. Those who see St. Patrick’s Day as the Germans do should head to Munich for an incredible party and parade that you’ll never forget…or perhaps not remember…
The International Space Station:
Even though you might not be an astronaut, all travelers can appreciate celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in the last frontier. We’re not quite sure what those folks will be doing up there to celebrate, as it might be hard to get beer down properly with zero-gravity. Though, as unusual as some places may be, none would be quite as unusual as spending St. Patrick’s Day here.
Travel somewhere new this year for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration in an unusual place.
Author’s Bio: Hana LaRock is originally from New York, though has called other places around the world her home for the last two years. She currently lives in South Korea as an English teacher and freelance travel writer. When she’s not working, she enjoys writing, reading, spending time with her dog, and of course, traveling. You can find her at www.hanalarockwriting.com.
