GREEN BEER SUNDAY (Feb. 26)]

The last Sunday in February kicks off our St. Patrick’s Season. Coleman’s Authentic Irish Pub (1933) has a big block party, after a parade, in the Irish neighborhood of Tipperary (Tipp) Hill; featuring an 18-wheeler truck full of green beer, imported from Ireland.

Tipp Hill is home to the only upside down traffic light in the world! In the 1920s Irish residents refused to allow the city to install the light with British “red” over Irish “green” and kept breaking the light. To this day, the light is always installed upside down.

ST. PATRICK’S PARADE (Mar. 11)

Tens of thousands of people line the main street of downtown Syracuse, Salina St, to enjoy the annual St. Patrick’s Parade – what I call a “green mardis gras”. Decked out in green attire (including dogs) people enjoy a three-hour long parade, festivities and outdoor celebrations. Everyone is Irish in Syracuse on this day. The parade is entirely run by volunteers and practically the day after the parade, they start planning for the next year.