Oh, Danny boy, 鈥榯is the time of year when Irish bagpipes are calling in the concrete glens of New York City, across the swooning boughs of Savannah, Georgia, and in the halls of the White House as the U.S. celebrates St. Patrick鈥檚 Day with parades, pub crawls and a state visit.

Thousands of tourists and locals alike crowded the oak-shaded squares and downtown sidewalks of Savannah on Friday. The city鈥檚 parade, a 199-year-old tradition, is the South鈥檚 largest.

Veteran parade watchers arrived before dawn to claim space in the squares for picnic tables and party tents. Bars opened at 7 a.m. to greet customers already thirsty for beer and Bloody Marys.

The annual parade in New York City 鈥� which bills itself as the world鈥檚 largest and oldest 鈥� drew throngs to Fifth Avenue to await bagpipes and bands, and give homage to Ireland鈥檚 patron saint.

鈥淲hen we march up Fifth Avenue,鈥� New York Mayor Eric Adams said during the annual St. Patrick鈥檚 Day Breakfast Reception, 鈥渋t appears as though everything turns to green.鈥�

Irish immigrants have a deep history in helping New York City become what it is today 鈥� one of the many groups, the mayor said, 鈥渢hat make up our city and that makes us great.鈥�

Kevin Conway, the parade鈥檚 grand marshal, led the way.

鈥淲e鈥檙e going to march in a celebration of all things Irish, the Irish culture, the Irish people. We鈥檙e going to march in tribute to the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Peace Agreement,鈥� he said, referring to the peace accord that helped end sectarian violence over the reunification of Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom.

Bernadette Byrne, who took in the parade while visiting from Ireland, felt right at home.

鈥淭he atmosphere is great,鈥� she said. 鈥淓verybody鈥檚 so friendly.鈥�

Some cities including Chicago, which dyes its river green to commemorate a day when everyone pretends to be Irish, already held their parades last weekend. Other cities, including Boston, will hold parades and other festivities this weekend.

Also flowing green will be the fountain on the South Lawn of the White House as President Joe Biden, who often speaks of his Irish heritage, welcomes Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar for a longstanding meetup between the two heads of state that had been delayed two years by the COVID-19 pandemic.

With temperatures forecast to climb into the mid-70s in Savannah, many parade watchers wore shorts with green T-shirts and strands of green plastic beads. Mike Trout painted his entire face and bald head with green makeup, accented by an orange plastic mustache.

鈥淵ou got the spirit, brother!鈥� said one passerby tapping Trout on the shoulder as he and wife, Diana, strolled the streets before the parade. The couple from Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, traveled to Savannah just to celebrate St. Patrick鈥檚.

鈥淪he鈥檚 Irish, I鈥檓 Irish wannabe,鈥� said Trout.

Started in 1824 by Irish immigrants to Georgia鈥檚 oldest city, the St. Patrick鈥檚 Day parade in Savannah has ballooned into one of the South鈥檚 largest street parties after Mardi Gras.

鈥淭his is a lot of people,鈥� said Sheila Barry, a Savannah native who staked out spots with a friend along Abercorn Street near the start of the parade route. They packed sandwiches, water and something else to drink that Barry described mischievously as 鈥淪t. Patrick鈥檚 holy water.鈥�

Barry, 55, wore a wide felt sash of emerald green embroidered with the names of her late parents, Irish immigrants who came to Savannah more than five decades ago. She said they loved Savannah鈥檚 Irish traditions and celebration of St. Patrick鈥檚 Day.

鈥淓verybody, they鈥檙e all Irish today,鈥� Barry said. 鈥淓verybody鈥檚 just here to have a good time.鈥�

Vivian Penn鈥檚 2-year-old granddaughter, Adeline, clapped and waved as Savannah鈥檚 parade kicked off with school children in kilts carrying American and Irish flags followed by the droning whine of a bagpipe band. The girl in a white dress with shamrocks and green stripes celebrated her birthday just two days before St. Patrick鈥檚 Day.

鈥淪he鈥檚 always going to be an Irish redhead,鈥� Penn said of her blond grandchild.

Friday marked just the second parade in Savannah since the coronavirus pandemic forced city officials to pause the celebration in 2020 and 2021. Even last year鈥檚 comeback parade seemed subdued, with plenty of elbow room along the typically packed parade route, said Penn, who lives nearby in Savannah鈥檚 downtown historic district.

鈥淭his looks like it鈥檚 back to normal,鈥� Penn said. 鈥淭his morning I was like, `Yes, it鈥檚 St. Patrick鈥檚 Day!鈥� Seeing all the people out the window with their chairs running down the street was very exciting.鈥�

President Joe Biden is set to host Ireland鈥檚 prime minister on Friday, after the COVID-19 pandemic scuttled the longstanding St. Patrick鈥檚 Day meetup two years in a row.

The meeting with one of the top U.S. allies comes after Biden said he plans to visit both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland this year, the 25th anniversary of the U.S.-brokered Good Friday accord. The agreement helped end sectarian violence that had raged for three decades over the issue of Northern Ireland unifying with Ireland or remaining part of the United Kingdom.

鈥斺赌斺赌�

This story corrects the number of years the Savannah parade as been a tradition to 199, instead of 100.

鈥斺赌斺赌�

Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia, and Calvan from New York. Associated Press writer Colleen Long in Washington contributed to this report.

By Russ Bynum And Bobby Caina Calvan

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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