Though Ireland’s patron saint never set foot in the Americas, the very first Saint Patrick’s Day Parade took place right here in New York City just over two-and-a-half centuries ago, when a band of Irish soldiers serving in the British Army decided to celebrate the Feast Day of Saint Patrick by marching through the streets. Since then, the New York celebration has grown to become one of the most impressive annual parades in the world, featuring around 150,000 marchers and two million spectators. As a guest of the Lotte New York Palace, you’ll be staying just one block away from the procession, which steps off from 44th St. and 5th Ave. at 11 A.M. on Tuesday, March 17, then proceeds north on 5th Ave. to the American Irish Historical Society at 80th St. Though tickets to the March 17 morning mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral will be very hard to come by at this point, you’ll have ample opportunities to visit the famed house of worship, which is directly across the street from the Lotte New York Palace.
