Boston hosted the first recorded Saint Patrick's Day celebration in the United States.
The celebration took place in 1737 and was organized by the Charitable Irish Society of Boston. The society had been founded by Irish immigrants and was created to support members of the local Irish community. Its Saint Patrick's Day gathering helped establish a public tradition that later spread throughout the United States.
Boston's milestone predates New York City's first Saint Patrick's Day parade, which was held in 1762. The two events are often confused because New York later became especially famous for its enormous annual parade.
Saint Patrick's Day celebrations in the United States developed alongside Irish immigration, especially during the nineteenth century. They combined religious observance, charitable activity, music, public processions, and expressions of Irish-American identity.