For many of us, St. Patrick's Day boils down to the tropes. While St. Patrick's Day is not recognized as a federal holiday in the U.S., it gives both Irish and non-Irish Americans a themed reason to celebrate.

The first St. Patrick’s Day parade took place not in Ireland but in America. "Records show that a St. Patrick’s Day parade was held on March 17, 1601 in a Spanish colony in what is now St. Augustine, Florida.