Where to Celebrate St Patrick’s Day Around the World

Just as you can stumble across an Irish bar in even the furthest flung corners of the globe, St. Patrick’s Day has become a worldwide celebration.

These days you don’t need to visit Ireland, or even cities such as Boston or Chicago, to get your St. Paddy’s Day fix. In even the most unlikely parts of the planet you’re bound to find someone celebrating the feast day on March 17.

If you happen to be in southern Spain, head to Cabo Roig on the Costa Blanca. This coastal town hosts the largest St Patrick’s Day parade in the country, thanks to large numbers of Irish tourists. There will be marching bands, karaoke and, in a nod to local traditions, flamenco dancers.

Another unexpected entrant to this list is the town of Luquillo, Puerto Rico. Not many people know, but Irish immigrants played an important role in the history of the Caribbean island, and there is a festival for St. Patrick’s Day every year.

The Canadian island of Newfoundland has been dubbed the most Irish place in the world outside Ireland, with around 80 percent of its inhabitants boasting Irish ancestry. Such strong links to the Emerald Isle make Newfoundland a great place to celebrate March 17.

On the other side of the world, Tokyo might not spring to mind as a traditional St. Patrick’s Day destination. However, around 30,000 people attended celebrations in the Japanese capital last year, with dancers, bands and floats.

Wherever you are in the world, you’ll likely not be far from a St. Patrick’s Day party, but check out some of these unexpected hot spots if you’re looking for something different.