No holiday elicits such cultural pride as St. Patrick's Day. Whether you're Irish, English, Italian or Greek, no one seems to be able to turn down an ice cold green beer and the opportunity to don shamrock antennae on the most celebrated day in March.
And New Yorkers are no exception. The annual
St. Patrick's Day Parade, which marches up Fifth Avenue, brings out the Irish in everyone. Spectators line the street to catch a glimpse of kilted men and listen to bagpipe music wafting through the air.
New York's St. Patrick's Day Parade is the largest and oldest in the country, attracting more than 200,000 marchers each year.
The parade's first march dates back to 1762, when nostalgic Irish ex-pats and Irish military serving with the British Army stationed in New York City organized the March 17 festivities to honor a little piece of home.
To this day, no floats or automobiles are permitted in the parade. Instead, viewers can take in and bands, politicians, Irish society members, and a whole lot of green.
This year's Grand Marshal is New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly.
