With bars, restaurants and wineries now open until 2 a.m. in Palm Springs, there are a variety of ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day

Immediately before St. Patrick’s Day 2020, COVID-19 started to gain a toehold on the Coachella Valley causing many bars to shut down or close early. With bars, restaurants and wineries now open until 2 a.m. in Palm Springs, how will you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?

St. Patrick’s Day, although a legal holiday only in Suffolk County, Mass., is widely recognized and celebrated throughout the United States. It is primarily celebrated as a recognition of Irish and Irish American culture; celebrations include prominent displays of the color green, eating and drinking, religious observances, and numerous parades. The holiday has been celebrated in what’s now the U.S since 1601.

According to the National Retail Federation, consumers in the United States spent $4.4 billion on St. Patrick’s Day in 2016. This amount is down from the $4.8 billion spent in 2014.

In every year since 1991, March has been proclaimed Irish-American Heritage Month by the U.S. Congress or President due to the date of Saint Patrick’s Day. Christian denominations in the United States observing this feast day include the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Episcopal Church (United States), and the Roman Catholic Church. Today, Saint Patrick’s Day is widely celebrated in America by Irish and non-Irish alike. For most Irish-Americans, this holiday is both religious and festive.

It is one of the leading days for consumption of alcohol in the United States, as individuals are allowed to break their Lenten sacrifices for the day in order to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day. The consumption of artificially colored green beer is a common celebration.

If you plan to have a few cheers for St. Patrick’s Day, remember to plan ahead and have a designated sober driver take you home.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that one individual dies every 51 minutes due to drunken driving on St. Patrick’s Day. In all, 38 percent of drivers die due to an accident on this holiday, and roughly 32 percent of all fatal traffic accidents happen on this date. Between the years 2006 to 2010, approximately 700 people died on the road on this holiday.

DUI testing showed that the individuals involved in the accidents had a blood alcohol level of twice the legal limit. Most fatal crashes occurred during the post-party period of midnight to 3 a.m. Since St. Patrick’s Day ranks fourth among other holidays for drinking, it is small wonder that the number of accidents and fatalities are high on this particular holiday. Pedestrians are also at risk of drunken driving accidents.

Image Sources

  • St. Patrick’s Day: Pixabay