Every single year, without fail, the world turns a very specific shade of Kelly green. You've probably seen the Chicago River looking like neon lime juice or noticed your local pub stocking up on way too much Guinness. It's a massive global party, but for some reason, people still get tripped up on the basics. Specifically: What date is Paddy's Day?
Honestly, it’s one of those things that feels like it should move around like Easter or Thanksgiving, but it doesn’t. It’s fixed.
St. Patrick’s Day is on March 17.
In 2026, that lands on a Tuesday. If you're looking further ahead, in 2027 it's a Wednesday, and in 2028 it hits on a Friday, which—let’s be real—is when the celebrations usually get a bit more "enthusiastic." While the day of the week changes, that March 17 date is non-negotiable for the Irish.
Why March 17 and not some other random Tuesday?
You might think March 17 was the day St. Patrick was born, or maybe the day he supposedly chased all the snakes out of Ireland (spoiler alert: there were never any snakes there to begin with). Actually, it's a bit more somber than that. March 17 is the day St. Patrick died.
Traditionally, in the Catholic Church, a saint’s "feast day" is celebrated on the anniversary of their death. It’s seen as their "birthday" into heaven. We believe he passed away around 461 AD in Saul, County Down. He’d spent decades crisscrossing the island, converting the local pagan tribes to Christianity, and by the time he took his last breath, he had basically reshaped the entire cultural DNA of Ireland.
Because he was so beloved, the date stuck. It was a holy day of obligation in Ireland for centuries, meaning you went to church, and then maybe had a quiet meal with family.
It wasn't always a party
For a long time, March 17 was a "dry" holiday. Seriously. Up until the 1970s, Irish law actually mandated that pubs stay closed on St. Patrick’s Day. It was a day of prayer and reflection, not pints and parades.
It was actually the Irish diaspora—specifically in the United States—that turned it into the festival we know today. The very first recorded St. Patrick's Day parade didn't even happen in Ireland. It happened in 1601 in a Spanish colony in what is now St. Augustine, Florida. Later, Irish soldiers serving in the British Army in New York held a parade in 1762 to help them feel less homesick.
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Over time, these American celebrations grew so big and so loud that Ireland eventually looked across the Atlantic and said, "Hey, we should probably do that too."
Getting the name right: Paddy vs. Patty
If you want to annoy an Irish person, call it "St. Patty's Day."
Just don't.
The name Patrick comes from the Irish name Pádraig. The nickname for Pádraig is Paddy. "Patty" is usually a nickname for Patricia, or something you find in a burger bun. If you're typing it out or making a sign for a party, stick with Paddy’s Day. It’s a small detail, but it’s the kind of thing that separates the experts from the amateurs.
What most people get wrong about the date
While the official date is March 17, the celebrations have a habit of wandering. In major cities like New York, Boston, or London, if March 17 falls on a weekday, the big parade might happen the weekend before or after.
- Public Holidays: In the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, March 17 is a public holiday. If it falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the following Monday is usually given as a day off.
- The Church Factor: Every now and then, the Catholic Church moves the liturgical feast. If March 17 falls during Holy Week (the week leading up to Easter), the church technically moves the religious observance to a different date so it doesn't clash with the more somber Lenten rites. This happened in 2008 when it was moved to March 15.
But for the rest of the world? The green beer flows on the 17th regardless of what the calendar says.
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The weird truth about the color blue
Here’s a fun one to bring up at your next trivia night: St. Patrick didn't actually wear green.
The earliest depictions of him show him wearing blue. There’s even a specific shade called "St. Patrick’s Blue" that is still used on Irish symbols today, like the Presidential Standard. Green only became the "official" color of Ireland during the Irish Rebellion of 1798. Irish soldiers wore green uniforms to make a political statement against the British, and the phrase "the wearing of the green" became a symbol of national identity.
Because the landscape of Ireland is so famously lush, the color green and the date March 17 eventually became inseparable.
Making the most of March 17
If you're planning to celebrate, there are a few ways to do it right that go beyond just wearing a "Kiss Me, I'm Irish" t-shirt.
- Check your local parade schedule early. Large cities often require tickets for bleacher seating, and the best vantage points are claimed hours before the first bagpipe sounds.
- Learn the difference between a shamrock and a four-leaf clover. A shamrock has three leaves. Legend says Patrick used it to explain the Holy Trinity. A four-leaf clover is just lucky. If you're celebrating the saint, three is the magic number.
- Try some actual Irish food. Most Americans eat corned beef and cabbage, which is actually more of an Irish-American invention. In Ireland, you're more likely to find bacon and cabbage or a hearty beef and Guinness stew.
Basically, the date is the easy part. It's March 17. The hard part is surviving the day without a headache the next morning.
Your Paddy's Day Checklist
To make sure you're ready for the next one, mark your calendar for March 17 right now. If you're in a city with a big Irish population like Savannah, Chicago, or Boston, book your restaurant reservations at least a month in advance. Most importantly, remember that while the date honors a specific man and a specific history, today it’s mostly about a shared sense of community—and maybe finding a decent plate of soda bread.
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Actionable Next Steps:
- Sync your calendar: Add a recurring event for March 17 so you're never caught without something green to wear.
- Research local events: Search for "St. Patrick's Day Parade [Your City]" now, as many committees announce dates and routes as early as January.
- Verify the "Paddy" spelling: If you're ordering custom shirts or invitations, double-check your spelling to avoid the "Patty" faux pas.