All Over Albany

St. Patrick's Day stuff to do 2018

The Albany St. Patrick's Day Parade

We're into mid March and that means St. Patrick's Day -- always a big holiday in the Capital Region -- will be here soon. In fact, it's this Saturday, so there many events are clustered around the day itself.

Here are a bunch of local ways to celebrate the holiday. From the parades, to food and drink, to music for the time of year where everyone is Irish, if only for a day.

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St. Patrick's Day stuff to do 2017

The big Albany St. Patrick's Day Parade is the Saturday before this year -- almost a full week ahead of the holiday.

March is starting, and that means St. Patrick's Day -- always a big holiday in the Capital Region -- will be here soon. It's on a Friday this year, so there are events stretched across two weekends.

Here are a bunch of local ways to celebrate the holiday. From the parades, to food and drink, to music for the time of year where everyone is Irish, if only for a day.

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St. Patrick's Day stuff to do 2016

The St. Patrick's Day parade in Albany always draws a big crowd. (Though it's not on St. Patrick's Day proper.)

St. Patrick's Day is always a big holiday in the Capital Region, and it'll be here soon. It's on a Thursday this year, so many of the activities commemorating it will be the weekend before -- Saturday, especially, will be St. Patrick's Day (observed). But there will, of course, also be many festivities on the day proper.

Here are a bunch of local ways to celebrate the holiday later this month. From the parades, to food and drink, to music for the time of year where everyone is Irish, if only for a day.

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St. Patrick's Day stuff to do 2015

The 65th annual Albany St. Patrick's Day Parade will make its way down Central Ave on Saturday.

Updated March 13

St. Patrick's Day is a big holiday in the Capital Region. It's on a Tuesday this year, so many of the activities commemorating it will be the weekend before -- Saturday, especially, will be St. Patrick's Day (observed).

Here are a bunch of local ways to celebrate the holiday later this month. From the parades, to food and drink, to music for the time of year where everyone is Irish, if only for a day.

And remember: It's St. Paddy's Day, not St. Patty's...

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The Capital Region's "most Irish" cities and towns

Lots of green.

Today is St. Patrick's Day, both a Catholic religious holiday and a holiday for people celebrating their Irish heritage. (Or, you know, just celebrating a good excuse to get together with friends.)

As it happens, this part of the country -- both the Northeast and Upstate New York -- have some of the highest percentages in the US of people claiming Irish ancestry. This Trulia map from last year, which maps by county, illustrates that well. So we though it'd be fun to map New York State cities and towns by percent of people claiming Irish heritage, based on Census data.

Maps, and a chart or two, a few facts for conversation over corned beef and cabbage...

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St. Patrick's Day stuff to do 2014

The Albany St. Patrick's Day Parade will be lining up for its 64th year. / photo: Sebastien B

St. Patrick's Day is a big holiday in the Capital Region -- and with it being on a Monday this year, there will be various celebrations and events starting this weekend and continuing into that Monday.

So, here are a bunch of local ways to celebrate the holiday over the next week. From the parades, to food and drink, to music for the time of year where everyone is Irish, if only for a day.

And remember: It's St. Paddy's Day, not St. Patty's...

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St. Patrick's Day stuff to do 2013

From a previous Albany St. Patrick's Day Parade. (photo: Sebastien Barre)

St. Patrick's Day is a big holiday in the Capital Region -- there will be various celebrations throughout the upcoming weekend.

So, here are a bunch of local ways to celebrate the holiday over the next week. From the parades, to food and drink, to music for the time of year where everyone is Irish, if only for a day.

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Where to go for corned beef and cabbage?

Xina emails:

I'm interested in the best place to get corned beef and cabbage in the Capital District - preferably in or close to Schenectady would be a bonus since that's where I live.

Also - somewhere where one can eat corned beef and cabbage without having to deal with people who have been drinking green beer since the early A.M.

There are a more than a few options this time of year. So if you have a favorite, please share!

By the way: St. Patrick's Day or not, cabbage is very New York State.

photo: Flickr user justgrimes (cc)

St. Patrick's Day 2012 photos

It was an excellent weekend for parading.

Sebastien's sent along a few photos from the St. Patrick's Day parade in Albany. (Yes, in black-and-white -- he was feeling a bit contrarian.) Be sure to check out his entire set.

A few other sets worth a look:

+ MIKECNY's set has a lot of good parade photos.

+ And Bennett documented the day a bit differently.

North Albany: After the jump, video from North Albany parade by YouTube user BillyOrbit...

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Better ways to celebrate St. Patrick's Day

From the Albany St. Patrick's Day Parade a few years back.

Last St. Patrick's Day was a memorable one, to say the least, but for all the wrong reasons. It's a great holiday -- just one better celebrated without destruction, arrests, and bunch of other regrettable behavior. The celebration shouldn't leave an unsightly pockmark on a city and region with a proud Irish history.

So, to help reset the course of St. Patrick's Day in the Capital Region, here are a bunch of local ways to celebrate the holiday. From music, to food and drink, dance, history, and shopping, use this guide to make the most of the time of year where everyone is Irish, if only for a day.

Slainte!

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AOA Limerick Contest results

It'll take more than luck to win.

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, we thought it would be fun to have a limerick contest. And to make it a bit more interesting, we put up a $20 gift certificate to the Ginger Man as a prize.

The results are now in! Daniel Nester -- author, poet, professor, admirer of things inappropriate -- was nice enough to serve as the judge. His selection -- plus the Editors' pick and all the entries -- after the jump.

Thanks to everyone who entered!

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The AOA Limerick Contest

Okay, we know -- as a form of poetry, the limerick appears to be only tangentially connected to Ireland. But we're presenting it here as a way to get into the spirit of St. Patrick's Day without the need for rioting. And you people are just so clever, we know you'll come up with something great.

Our limerick contest will be judged by Daniel Nester. He's a poet himself -- and we have a feeling he's enjoyed a limerick or two. (Did they ever involve a small island off the coast of Massachusetts? We wouldn't rule it out.)

And yes, there shall be a prize. How's a $20 gift certificate to the Ginger Man strike you?

Rules -- and a few sample limericks -- after the jump.

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Where to find Irish soda bread?

Irisira emails with timely question:

My boss thought it would be fun for those of us of Irish descent to share some goodies with the rest of the office on March 17. I volunteered to bring in soda bread (because I love it and wanted to see it represented), but I'm not sure where the best place to buy it is!

I figured you guys would be good to ask, especially since I'm not going to be the only one jonesing for soda bread on 3/17.

Got a suggestion for Irisira? Please share!

photo: Flickr user J Wynia

St. Patrick's Day parade 2011

This photo looks even better in large format.

The photo above is from a nice photoset by Sebastien from the St. Patrick's Day parade in Albany over the weekend. A few more are after the jump -- and, of course, the photoset linked above has many more.

Also: Flicker user MIKECNY has also posted a parade set -- it includes some good people shots.

(Thanks, Sebastien!)

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