St. Patrick's Day is on each March 17, a day set aside to celebrate Ireland's conversion to Catholicism, which we honor by drinking in excess and basically acting a fool. 2015 will be not unlike every other year -- an all-out boozefest with plenty of traditional Irish food, awesome music, and scrambling to wear green before you get pinched. Broward and Palm Beach counties take special pride in this holiday and never forget to go to the extreme with parades, drink specials, and Bono look-alikes.
Here are the five best ways to enjoy your St. Paddy's Day before ya hit the toilet headfirst.
See also: Where to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Broward and Palm Beach Counties
5. Hollywood St. Patrick's Parade
12:30 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, March 15, at Hollywood Boulevard and Harrison Street between 19th and 21st avenues. Visit stpatricksparade.com.
Kicking off our list the traditional way is Hollywood Boulevard's yearly St. Paddy's parade. Expect picture beads, dressed-up dogs, fun floats, crafts for kids, Irish grub, and, of course, green everything. There'll be an outdoor stage by Whiskey Tango, complete with plenty of musical entertainment to get you inspired to do your goofiest Irish jig. Kicking off the sounds for the day is custom Irish entertainment with Joe Dougherty and performances by the NYPD Emerald Society Pipe & Drum Corps. Around 2:30, Irish folk-rock by Blackthorn and U2 by UV, a U2 tribute band, will send you mentally back to the old country. Take a pic with "Bono" for bragging rights with your friends -- he looks just like him!
4. Fort Lauderdale Parade
7:30 a.m. Saturday, March 14, at Huizenga Plaza, 1 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. Visit ftlaudirishfest.com.
Here's another parade for all of you float lovers. Fort Lauderdale's parade day begins bright and early at 7:30 a.m. with the Shamrock Run, a 5k filled with (possibly hungover) participants looking like jogging leprechauns. Just like the Hollywood parade, Joe Dougherty will be taking the stage first thing, and U2 by UV will be closing it out. Other music includes a drum line competition, the Karl Drake School Irish dancers, bagpipers, and more.
