On March 17th each year, the Irish (and anyone else who enjoys a good celebration) observe St. Patrick’s Day. Historically, there have been many customs associated with this holiday, but the tribute observers pay varies from place to place. It’s common in most areas for observers to wear green and expect an affectionate pinch if they do not. On a larger scale, cities celebrate with parades and sometimes take it even further
Seattle and some other cities will paint the traffic stripes of their parade routes a festive green. In 1962, Chicago sewage workers used green dye in the sewers to make any discharges more visible. This gave them the idea to dye the city’s river green on St. Patrick’s Day, which they’ve done every year since. Columbia, South Carolina, dyes its fountain green in the “Five Points,” an area near the University of South Carolina. And the list goes on.
In a list of countless celebrations, Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas manages to make its parade stand out, but not by trying to rival other cities with large parades. Host Springs, Arkansas, is actually famous for having the shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade measuring in at a mere 98 feet long. This year's grand marshall is NASCAR driver Mark Martin.
