This Day in History: <br />First St. Patrick's Day Parade March 17, 1762 The first St. Patrick's Day parade <br />is widely regarded as having been <br />celebrated in New York City by Irish <br />soldiers serving in the British army. The day honors the <br />patron saint of Ireland, <br />who was born to a Christian <br />family in Britain in the 4th century. St. Patrick is credited <br />with converting almost all of <br />Ireland to Christianity before his death. One the most revered <br />legends about the saint is his <br />explanation of the Holy Trinity <br />using a three-leafed Shamrock. Early Irish immigrants <br />brought his feast day <br />with them to America. According to the National <br />Retail Association, Americans <br />spent nearly $6 billion for <br />St. Patricks Day in 2018.
