On This Day

First recorded Saint Patrick's Day celebration in America is held in St. Augustine in Spanish Florida, with the first pa

First recorded Saint Patrick's Day celebration in America is held in St. Augustine in Spanish Florida, with the first parade held in the same place in 1601. Both are organized by Catholic Irish vicar Ricardo Artur.

Saint Patrick's Day, although a legal holiday only in Savannah, Georgia, and Suffolk County, Massachusetts, is nonetheless widely recognized and celebrated throughout the United States. It is primarily celebrated as a recognition of Irish and Irish American culture; celebrations include prominent displays of the color green, eating and drinking, religious observances, and numerous parades. The holiday has been celebrated in what is now the U.S. since 1601.

According to the National Retail Federation, consumers in the United States spent $4.4 billion on St. Patrick's Day in 2016. This amount is down from the $4.8 billion spent in 2014.

Historical Significance

Saint Patrick's Day, although a legal holiday only in Savannah, Georgia, and Suffolk County, Massachusetts, is nonetheless widely recognized and celebrated throughout the United States.

Events Before

  1. Jacob van Neck's fleet leaves Bantam, Java in modern-day Indonesia with 1 million pounds of pepper and cloves and a furt

    Jacob van Neck's fleet leaves Bantam, Java in modern-day Indonesia with 1 million pounds of pepper and cloves and a further half a ship full of nutmeg, mace and cinnamon

  2. Albert VII Archduke of Austria marries his cousin Isabella, daughter of Philip II of Spain

    Albert VII (German: Albrecht VII; 13 November 1559 – 13 July 1621) was the ruling Archduke of Austria for a few months in 1619 and, jointly with his wife, Isabella Clara Eugenia, sovereign of the…

  3. English nobleman Robert Devereux becomes Lord Lieutenant of Ireland

    Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex (10 November 1565 – 25 February 1601) was an English nobleman, soldier and a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I. A charismatic and ambitious youth, Essex grew up in a...

  4. Jacob Corneliszoon van Necks' Dutch merchant fleet, the second to reach Indonesia, leaves Java

    Jacob Corneliszoon van Necks' Dutch merchant fleet, the second to reach Indonesia, leaves Java

  5. Italian painter Caravaggio gets his first public commission, the Contarelli Chapel in the church of San Luigi dei France

    Italian painter Caravaggio gets his first public commission, the Contarelli Chapel in the church of San Luigi dei Francesi, Rome

Events After

  1. A fleet of five British East India Company vessels departs on its first voyage from London, led by James Lancaster comma

    A fleet of five British East India Company vessels departs on its first voyage from London, led by James Lancaster commanding the "Red Dragon"; the journey lasts nearly 16 months

  2. Louis Gunther of Nassau weds countess Anna Margaretha of Manderscheid

    Louis Gunther of Nassau weds countess Anna Margaretha of Manderscheid

  3. Church authorities in Rome burn Hebrew books

    Church authorities in Rome burn Hebrew books

  4. France gains Bresse, Bugey, Valromey, and Gex in a treaty with Spain

    France gains Bresse, Bugey, Valromey, and Gex in a treaty with Spain

  5. Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, leads an unsuccessful revolt in London against Queen Elizabeth

    Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, leads an unsuccessful revolt in London against Queen Elizabeth

More from the 1600s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on March 17, 1600?
Saint Patrick's Day, although a legal holiday only in Savannah, Georgia, and Suffolk County, Massachusetts, is nonetheless widely recognized and celebrated throughout the United States. It is primarily celebrated as a recognition of Irish and Irish American culture; celebrations include prominent displays of the color green, eating and drinking, religious observances, and numerous parades. The holiday has been celebrated in what is now the U.S.
Why is First recorded Saint Patrick's Day celebration in America is held in St. Augu... significant?
Saint Patrick's Day, although a legal holiday only in Savannah, Georgia, and Suffolk County, Massachusetts, is nonetheless widely recognized and celebrated throughout the United States.

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