Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and its national apostle. He was born in Roman, Britain and brought to Ireland as a slave. He was later credited with bringing Christianity to its people. The mythology became ever more ingrained in Irish culture using the three leaves of the native Irish culture, the shamrock.

Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated annually on March 17th, the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over 1,000 years. On Saint Patrick’s Day, Irish families traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. 

On March 3rd, 2024, Belmar, New Jersey celebrated its 51st annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. This parade has been a tradition in Belmar every year since 1993. It was a great day celebrated with people with lots of food, drinks, music, and dancing. Dozens of floats, pipe, and drum bands flood the streets for entertainment. 

Getting to the parade is easy and available for everyone to join the fun! Many take the train for easy access to the street. Directions to parking in Belmar were posted on the St. Patty’s Parade website! The parade was estimated to go on for 3 hours. After the parade to continue the fun, many restaurants were open and decked out in green and shamrocks for the holiday!  

The fun doesn’t stop in Belmar. Many towns like Asbury Park, Freehold, and North Wildwood hold similar parades to celebrate! Parades are a great way to get in the holiday spirit. Although Saint Patrick’s day is now over, I’d recommend attending a parade next year if you want to have some fun! And of course, make sure to wear your green!