Even the Opera house turns green Photo: pablo808
St Patrick’s Day would have to be one of the world’s most celebrated festivals. The Irish are everywhere, which means there’s barely a country in the world that isn’t drinking Guinness and wearing emerald green outfits on March 17 each year.
Sydney always throws a great St Patrick’s Day celebration, and The Rocks area is usually the heart of the celebration. This is the the area that holds the most Irish history- their many convicts did help to found our white Australian culture.
If you are in Sydney for St Patrick’s Day,then you want to get yourself amongst the celebrations.
St Patrick’s Day Parade
This will be held on Sunday March 20 and will kick off at midday beginning at the corner of Bathurst Street and GeorgeStreet turning right into Park Street at Town Hall then left into Elizabeth St, finishing up at James Street. The theme for the 2011 parade is the ‘Book of Kells’. Participants will embrace this theme and use it as an inspiration for costumes, groups, music and floats, showcasing Irish culture and history to Sydney.
Pubs
There are plenty of Irish pubs in the Sydney area where you will find a celebration or two happening on St Patrick’s Day. As St Patrick’s Day is on a working Thursday, you can expect the celebration parties to be happening on the weekend following it as well.
For the best place to go, we recommend The Rocks area. Almost every pub there is and Irish pub, the pints of Guinness and Kilkenny are surprisingly pretty cheap. There will be Irish music, as well as live acoustic and rock. You can expect to find green food and plenty of people out on the streets dressed in green and in high spirits.
The Orient Hotel Party
When I first saw this advertised when we had our cheap nachos dinner at the Rocks the other weekend. I found it hard to believe, and had to do some further research to its validity.
Lo and behold, it is as true as it gets and I think it is amazing. The Orient gets packed on Paddy’s Day and it is very hard to get in if you arrive too late in the afternoon. Start your celebrations with an Irish breakfast. This Irish Breakfast does go all day at the Orient, beginning at 7am.
For the low price of $35, you get full Irish breakfast, bottomless pints of Guinness and Irish coffees served all day. Live bands will play all day starting at 7am.
Is anyone else as stunned as me at this package price? This is unheard of in Australia. Bookings are essential though, and I am guessing once you have your ticket, you can show up when you like.
Be warned strict bouncers at the Orient, just behave and you’ll be grand.
Enjoy Your St Patrick’s Day in Sydney. We might see you somewhere there!
How are you celebrating St Patrick’s Day this year?
I love hearing about St. Patrick’s Day celebrations around the world. It might have originated in Ireland, but it’s such a global holiday.
It truly is a global holiday, just as much as Christmas and Easter! You gotta love the Irish for what they have given to the world
St. Patrick’s Day is one of my favorite days in the year! Sounds like Sydney would be a great place to celebrate. I like the theme idea for the parade — cool idea!
Enjoy!
Me too, it always such fun. I think we might head down to Sydney and check out the parade on the weekend. Should be a lot of fun.
It’s my 6th year in Sydney but I never saw the parade. I’m definitely going to see it this year!
I’ll be in Chile but I wonder if I’m allowed to celebrate after writing that scathing post about hating the Irish
Ha Ha. Maybe this will help you win their hearts back!!
The auzzies know how to do it right ! Wish I could be there !!
St. Patrick’s Day is one of my favorite holiday ever. Fortunately I had the experience of celebrating it in Australia. One of the best holidays I’ve ever experience and I’m going to do it again.