St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17th. St. Patrick  is said to have given a sermon from a hilltop that drove all the snakes from Ireland.  St. Patrick’s Day has been celebrated in the US since 1737.  Traditional icons of the day are the shamrock, leprechaun, the color green and the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Celebration ideas on March 17th

Washington, DC commemorates St. Patrick’s Day every year with a variety of festivals and parades held in the week leading up to the holiday. Here are some ways you can celebrate:

• Take your picture in front of a green fountain. The White House was designed by Irish architect James Hoban. For the past several years, the White House fountain has been dyed green on March 17th in celebration of the holiday. In fact, last year President Obama celebrated the day with all things green.
• Join an authentic Irish ceili party at Discovery Theater’s Flying Feet and Fiddle Bows. Learn about Irish musical traditions and experience the floor-pounding beat of both sean-nós and set dancing. This Irish celebration is designed to have kids and adults tapping their toes and dancing along. (Performances at 10:15 am and 11:30 am; advance ticket purchase strongly suggested)
• Au Pair in America’s St. Patrick’s Day pinboard has lots of creative suggestions for crafts, baking, and other fun ideas.
• Create Your Own Pot of Gold at the Petworth Library at 4:30 PM