In Buenos Aires, Saint Patrick’s Day parties centre on Reconquista.
Calle Reconquista runs through the city’s historic downtown and financial district, an area known for its concentration of Irish pubs and bars. Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations there developed as a large urban nightlife event, bringing together Buenos Aires’s Irish community, visitors, and people simply looking for a festive evening.
The street is sometimes confused with Florida or Corrientes, two other prominent central Buenos Aires thoroughfares. Florida is especially famous as a busy pedestrian shopping street, while Corrientes is associated with theatres, restaurants, and late-night city life. The Saint Patrick’s Day reference, however, specifically identifies Reconquista.
Reconquista is also part of the city’s historic core. It runs near landmarks including Plaza de Mayo and the Basilica of Our Lady of Mercy, and it crosses the area traditionally known as the Microcentro. In 2006, reports described tens of thousands of people gathering in Reconquista and around its nearby pubs, illustrating how the celebration expanded beyond individual bars into a major downtown street party.