Irish or not St. Patrick’s Day is always an exciting day to wear some green, get together with friends, and share a cold Irish beer. The Sydney St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Family Day dates back to the year 1810. Things have changed a little from then to now, but Sydney continues to value and celebrate the holiday.
Although the day started off rainy, I still got to see bits of the parade. The route began on George St. and finished at Hyde Park North, where Family Day began afterwards. It was neat to discover that both of the events were entirely put together by volunteers. The sun eventually came out and the atmosphere grew lively. It didn’t take long before a friend and I gave in and got our faces painted.
The event had carnival activities along with plenty of food and beverages. Live music filled the crowd giving everyone an upbeat spirit. The main stage had fifteen different Irish performances starting at 12:45 p.m and lasting until 6:30 p.m.
Part of living in Sydney and getting a taste of its culture is experiencing the way they celebrate holidays. So I’m glad I got to be a part of the annual Sydney St. Patrick’s Day!
Emily Bensman is a student at the University of Dayton and a TEAN Featured Blogger. Emily is currently studying abroad with TEAN in Sydney, Australia.
