When Is St. Patrick's Day? What to Know Before the Big Celebration
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Some may say the best way to welcome the spring season is by doing a big cleaning. Others might contest it's with an Easter Egg hunt. But for the Irish, you mark spring by celebrating St. Patrick's Day! Heck, there are plenty of reasons to celebrate even if you're not Irish. This is a holiday with *all* the perks. You get to enjoy so many fun St. Patrick's Day activities, all while dressing up with green accessories and St. Patrick's day shirts that show a bit more skin since the weather is finally beginning to warm up.
Most important of all (at least in the Drummond world 😂): the food! You have loaded Irish nachos, sweet and doughy Irish soda bread, and all the traditional Irish meals. And don't even get us started on the green or Bailey's infused drinks. Gather all your friends and family for a party, and you've got yourself a fully festive celebration. But in all that excitement, we might have left you wondering: When is St. Patrick's Day 2024? The day of the week is crucial to your plans!
Unlike other spring holidays like Easter and Lent, St. Patrick's Day has the same date every year. But not too fast—the day of the week changes, so you should probably start planning around that sooner rather than later. Because whether it falls on a weekday versus a weekend is a huge deal. So, read on for everything you need to know about St. Paddy's Day, including when it is.
When is St. Patrick's Day in 2024?
Even though St. Patrick's Day falls on the same date every year—March 17—the day of the week changes. In 2024, St. Patrick's Day falls on Sunday, March 17.
Sláinte! The holiday falls on the weekend. Though, it's the end of the weekend, so you might want to get your celebrations started early! 😉 Pub crawls and St. Patrick's Day parties will likely be happening Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. For those with kids—you can start your day off by making some Irish coffee, just right before you divulge into some family friendly St. Patrick's Day crafts!
Is St. Patrick's Day always on March 17?
Good question. The answer is yes! The earliest observance of St. Patrick's Day dates back to Ireland in the 1600s. March 17 is significant because it's believed to be the date the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick, died in the late 5th century.
Why do people celebrate St. Patrick's Day?
It began as—and remains—a religious day to recognize the death of St. Patrick, Ireland's patron saint who brought Christianity to the country (although he was born a wealthy Englishman!). For Irish folks on the Emerald Isle, it remained a relatively low-key religious feast day through much of the 20th century.
However, if you look closer at the history of St. Patrick's Day, you'll find that the reasons to celebrate really evolved in America. The holiday as we know it today—with parades, parties, and more—emerged in the 1800s from Irish-Americans who wanted to celebrate their culture as well as civic pride, according to Time. By the end of the century, big cities like Boston, New York, and Chicago were hosting major celebrations for everyone to take part in over the course of days leading up to March 17. So, funnily enough, the St. Patrick's Day festivities we know today are more American than Irish!
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