Best St. Patrick's Day Activities for All Ages

Parades for the March holiday are held in many countries, but these particular nations hold celebrations that are particularly interesting:

Dubai: Annual St. Patrick’s Day Ball at the Address Hotel, Dubai Marina. March 18, 2013. Visit irishsocietydubai.com.

Russia: For the first time on March 15, 1992, Russia saw crowds of Moscow Russians enjoying a St. Patrick's Day Parade on Novy Arbat (New Florists Street). A reviewing stand of organizers and celebrities watched police escorts lead several marching bands, Cossacks and their horses, and 15 corporate floats. It's been a success in Moscow every year, including the increasing numbers of international peoples, bands, and businesses in attendance.

South Korea: Apparently North Korea holds only military parades, but Seoul in South Korea loves the traditions of St. Patrick! Here are some South Korean Irish Pubs:

• Dublin Terrace Restaurant and Bar in Seoul
• O’Briens Irish Pub in Changwon
• Maloney's Pub and Grill: 225-67 Itaewon 2-dong, Yongsan-Gu, Seoul. Very popular!
• Wolfhound Pub and Restaurant in Seoul

A Selection of Irish Parades

• County Gallway on Irish Channel St. at the Patrick's Day Club
• Défilé de la St-Patrick de Québec, Canada
• Irish Network Japan, the Tokyo St. Patrick's Parade

  St. Patrick's Day in Tokyo is celebrated every year in two parts. The first part is an Irish cultural festival at Yoyogi Park. The second part is the parade.

• Kansas City St. Patrick's Day Parade Gathering of the Clans - An Irish Homecoming March 17 at 11am Westport. http://kcirishparade.com/
• Moscow, Russia Celebration: On 15 March 1992, thousands of delighted Muscovites lined Novy Arbat to witness the first St. Patrick's Day Parade in the Russian capital's history! www.stpatrick.narod.ru/parade.html
• St. Louis - Metropolitan St. Patrick's Day Parade

  The St. Patrick's Day Parade, Run, and Dinner in St. Louis. St. Louis' Rite of Spring. The Parade is one of the Top Five in the country and is watched by over 300,000 spectators. The 5-mile Parade Run attracts over 6,000 runners. The night before par

• St. Patrick's Day New Orleans: St. Patrick's Day Parade and Events Information for New Orleans at www.stpatricksdayneworleans.com/

Grand Marching Groups in Ohio

• Cleveland's St. Patrick's Day Parade
• Cincinnati Ohio St. Patrick Day's Parade, beside the Ohio River.
• **Dublin, Ohio**, USA Greenest, Grandest St. Patrick's Day Parade: Join us for the Greenest, Grandest St. Patrick's Day Parade! Dublin is greener every year.
• Youngstown and Mahoning Valley St. Patrick's Parade: The Mahoning Valley St. Patrick's Parade is one of the largest parades in the state of Ohio. Each year 25,000 to 30,000 spectators come out to celebrate this beloved family tradition.

I've always enjoyed cooling apples, potatoes and onions together, sometimes with some bacon or sausages, for a one-pot meal. In college, a friend explained that this is what his family called "camping food" when they added a couple of fried eggs into the mix.

Later I found that it is an Irish traditional dish, especially just the apples and potatoes together. Here's the easy recipe, and links to more Irish dishes.

Mashed Potatoes and Apples

Ingredients to serve 3 or 4

• 1 Pound of your favorite apples, probably 2 large apples. May cooks like tart green apples for this dish.
• 2 Pounds of white potatoes
• 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 Cup water
• 2 Pats of butter

Instructions for microwave or stove top:

1. This all can be done in a microwave, but for a different flavor:
2. Peel potatoes and boil in salted water on the stove top until soft.
3. Wash the apples, then peel and core. Slice them into a second pot and add the sugar and 1/4 cup water. Cook until tender.
4. In a large bowl mash the soft potatoes and apples together with the butter and serve.

Suggestions

I like to add a little pepper to my serving of this dish and it is easy to melt your favorite cheese over the top in the microwave for a variation. Caramelized onions make a good topping as well.

Additional Irish Recipes

• Non-Alcoholic Drinks for St. Patrick's Day -- These are delicious and it's easy to add alcohol if you want it.

Party Ideas and Resources

• Dublin's unique Irish music and Irish dancing show - The Irish House Party

  Consistently voted as one of the top ten things to do in Dublin, The Irish House Party is Irish music and dancing in an intimate and homely Dublin setting ...

• LittleShamrocks: Dozens of ideas for St. Patrick's Day Parties, along with resources.

Irish Films

• Top 10 Celtic Films for St. Patrick's Day: Some Celtic people may or may not be making crop circles in the middle of the night, but Celts and their descendants have surely made outstanding films to enjoy on St. Patrick's Day.

• Fotosearch Irish Pages - Royalty fee, wide price range. Over 5,300 photos and other images connected with Ireland and the Irish. High quality.
• Ireland First! The Irish Clipart Archive -- This site is totally packed with free clapart to use by anyone anywhere. At last count, 264 images are displayed for your review and selection. Loading is fast, too.
• Ireland Information -- This is a comprehensive and fun site for a vast variety of free clipart, screen savers, research information, Irish baby names, a free newsletter, and dozens of additional features. Everything Irish seems to be here!

• Cultural Customs Only the Irish Will Understand. TheCultureTrip.com.
• Irish Festivals. Irishtourism.com.
• 45 Classic Irish Recipes You'll Fall in Love With.TasteOfHome.com.
• St. Patrick's Day: Parade, Facts & Traditions. History.com.