Oh, Danny boy, B次元官网网址榯is the time of year when Irish bagpipes are calling in the concrete glens of New York City, across the swooning boughs of Savannah, Georgia, and in the halls of the White House as the U.S. celebrates St. PatrickB次元官网网址檚 Day with parades, pub crawls and a state visit.

Thousands of tourists and locals alike crowded the oak-shaded squares and downtown sidewalks of Savannah on Friday. The cityB次元官网网址檚 parade, a 199-year-old tradition, is the SouthB次元官网网址檚 largest.

Veteran parade watchers arrived before dawn to claim space in the squares for picnic tables and party tents. Bars opened at 7 a.m. to greet customers already thirsty for beer and Bloody Marys.

The annual parade in New York City B次元官网网址� which bills itself as the worldB次元官网网址檚 largest and oldest B次元官网网址� drew throngs to Fifth Avenue to await bagpipes and bands, and give homage to IrelandB次元官网网址檚 patron saint.

B次元官网网址淲hen we march up Fifth Avenue,B次元官网网址� New York Mayor Eric Adams said during the annual St. PatrickB次元官网网址檚 Day Breakfast Reception, B次元官网网址渋t appears as though everything turns to green.B次元官网网址�

Irish immigrants have a deep history in helping New York City become what it is today B次元官网网址� one of the many groups, the mayor said, B次元官网网址渢hat make up our city and that makes us great.B次元官网网址�

Kevin Conway, the paradeB次元官网网址檚 grand marshal, led the way.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e going to march in a celebration of all things Irish, the Irish culture, the Irish people. WeB次元官网网址檙e going to march in tribute to the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Peace Agreement,B次元官网网址� he said, referring to the peace accord that helped end sectarian violence over the reunification of Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom.

Bernadette Byrne, who took in the parade while visiting from Ireland, felt right at home.

B次元官网网址淭he atmosphere is great,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淓verybodyB次元官网网址檚 so friendly.B次元官网网址�

Some cities including Chicago, which dyes its river green to commemorate a day when everyone pretends to be Irish, already held their parades last weekend. Other cities, including Boston, will hold parades and other festivities this weekend.

Also flowing green will be the fountain on the South Lawn of the White House as President Joe Biden, who often speaks of his Irish heritage, welcomes Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar for a longstanding meetup between the two heads of state that had been delayed two years by the COVID-19 pandemic.

With temperatures forecast to climb into the mid-70s in Savannah, many parade watchers wore shorts with green T-shirts and strands of green plastic beads. Mike Trout painted his entire face and bald head with green makeup, accented by an orange plastic mustache.

B次元官网网址淵ou got the spirit, brother!B次元官网网址� said one passerby tapping Trout on the shoulder as he and wife, Diana, strolled the streets before the parade. The couple from Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, traveled to Savannah just to celebrate St. PatrickB次元官网网址檚.

B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 Irish, IB次元官网网址檓 Irish wannabe,B次元官网网址� said Trout.

Started in 1824 by Irish immigrants to GeorgiaB次元官网网址檚 oldest city, the St. PatrickB次元官网网址檚 Day parade in Savannah has ballooned into one of the SouthB次元官网网址檚 largest street parties after Mardi Gras.

B次元官网网址淭his is a lot of people,B次元官网网址� said Sheila Barry, a Savannah native who staked out spots with a friend along Abercorn Street near the start of the parade route. They packed sandwiches, water and something else to drink that Barry described mischievously as B次元官网网址淪t. PatrickB次元官网网址檚 holy water.B次元官网网址�

Barry, 55, wore a wide felt sash of emerald green embroidered with the names of her late parents, Irish immigrants who came to Savannah more than five decades ago. She said they loved SavannahB次元官网网址檚 Irish traditions and celebration of St. PatrickB次元官网网址檚 Day.

B次元官网网址淓verybody, theyB次元官网网址檙e all Irish today,B次元官网网址� Barry said. B次元官网网址淓verybodyB次元官网网址檚 just here to have a good time.B次元官网网址�

Vivian PennB次元官网网址檚 2-year-old granddaughter, Adeline, clapped and waved as SavannahB次元官网网址檚 parade kicked off with school children in kilts carrying American and Irish flags followed by the droning whine of a bagpipe band. The girl in a white dress with shamrocks and green stripes celebrated her birthday just two days before St. PatrickB次元官网网址檚 Day.

B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 always going to be an Irish redhead,B次元官网网址� Penn said of her blond grandchild.

Friday marked just the second parade in Savannah since the coronavirus pandemic forced city officials to pause the celebration in 2020 and 2021. Even last yearB次元官网网址檚 comeback parade seemed subdued, with plenty of elbow room along the typically packed parade route, said Penn, who lives nearby in SavannahB次元官网网址檚 downtown historic district.

B次元官网网址淭his looks like itB次元官网网址檚 back to normal,B次元官网网址� Penn said. B次元官网网址淭his morning I was like, `Yes, itB次元官网网址檚 St. PatrickB次元官网网址檚 Day!B次元官网网址� Seeing all the people out the window with their chairs running down the street was very exciting.B次元官网网址�

President Joe Biden is set to host IrelandB次元官网网址檚 prime minister on Friday, after the COVID-19 pandemic scuttled the longstanding St. PatrickB次元官网网址檚 Day meetup two years in a row.

The meeting with one of the top U.S. allies comes after Biden said he plans to visit both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland this year, the 25th anniversary of the U.S.-brokered Good Friday accord. The agreement helped end sectarian violence that had raged for three decades over the issue of Northern Ireland unifying with Ireland or remaining part of the United Kingdom.

B次元官网网址斺赌斺赌�

This story corrects the number of years the Savannah parade as been a tradition to 199, instead of 100.

B次元官网网址斺赌斺赌�

Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia, and Calvan from New York. Associated Press writer Colleen Long in Washington contributed to this report.

By Russ Bynum And Bobby Caina Calvan

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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