How Many Days Until St. Patrick's Day?
Until St. Patrick's Day 2027
Wednesday, March 17, 2027
St. Patrick's Day 2027 falls on Wednesday, March 17, 2027. The day commemorates Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland in the 5th century.
In 2027, St. Patrick's Day falls on a Wednesday. Many large city parades will be held on the preceding Saturday (March 13, 2027) to enable better attendance.
| Days away | 179 |
| Weeks away | 25 weeks 4 days |
| Months away | 5 months |
| Business days away | 121 |
| Last St. Patrick's Day | 185 days ago |
How Many Weeks and Months Until St. Patrick's Day 2027?
St. Patrick's Day 2027 lands on Wednesday, March 17, 2027. That is 25 weeks and 4 days away, or roughly 5 months. Here is the same countdown in every unit people ask for.
Weeks are counted as full 7 day blocks. Months are counted by calendar month, so a month can be 28 to 31 days long.
When Is St. Patrick's Day? Dates for 2026 to 2031
Here is the exact date and day of the week for St. Patrick's Day in each of the next 6 years.
| Year | Date | Day of week |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | March 17, 2026 | Tuesday |
| 2027 | March 17, 2027 | Wednesday |
| 2028 | March 17, 2028 | Friday |
| 2029 | March 17, 2029 | Saturday |
| 2030 | March 17, 2030 | Sunday |
| 2031 | March 17, 2031 | Monday |
St. Patrick's Day 2027 Key Facts
- Date: Wednesday, March 17, 2027
- Day of week: Wednesday (mid-week)
- Days from June 19, 2026: 271 days
- Not a federal holiday in US
- Public holiday in: Ireland, Northern Ireland, Newfoundland and Labrador (Canada), Montserrat
- US 2024 spending: approximately $7.2 billion (NRF)
- Chicago River dyed green: Tradition since 1962
- Largest parades: New York City, Boston, Chicago, Savannah
Who Was Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick was a 5th-century Christian missionary born in Roman Britain, traditionally believed to have lived from approximately 385 to 461 AD. He was kidnapped by Irish raiders at age 16 and held as a slave in Ireland for six years before escaping.
He later returned to Ireland as a missionary bishop, where he is credited with converting much of the Irish population to Christianity. The date of his death, March 17, was traditionally observed as his feast day.
The legend that Saint Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland is a metaphor. Ireland has no native snake species (the post-Ice Age climate was inhospitable to them), and the story is interpreted as referring to his work converting the Irish from paganism.
How St. Patrick's Day is Celebrated in the US
St. Patrick's Day became a major US celebration through Irish immigration, particularly during and after the Great Famine of 1845 to 1852. The first recorded US St. Patrick's Day parade was held in St. Augustine, Florida in 1601. The first New York City parade was held in 1762, before US independence.
US St. Patrick's Day celebrations are larger than those in Ireland itself. Major US events:
- New York City Parade: Largest in the world, drawing approximately 150,000 marchers and 2 million spectators on Fifth Avenue
- Boston Parade: Held in South Boston, with strong Irish-American heritage
- Chicago River Greening: The Chicago River has been dyed green every St. Patrick's Day since 1962 using approximately 40 pounds of vegetable-based dye
- Savannah Parade: Among the largest in the southern US, drawing over 500,000 attendees
- Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cleveland: All host large parades
US Spending on St. Patrick's Day
The National Retail Federation tracked $7.2 billion in St. Patrick's Day spending in 2024. About 60% of US adults celebrate the holiday in some form.
Top spending categories:
- Food and beverages: $3.2 billion (corned beef, cabbage, Irish whiskey, Guinness beer)
- Apparel: $1.6 billion (green clothing, Kiss Me I'm Irish T-shirts)
- Beverages alone: Approximately $1.0 billion (Guinness reports 13 million pints sold globally on March 17, double a normal day)
- Bar/restaurant outings: $2.2 billion
- Decorations: $0.7 billion
Per-person spending in 2024 averaged approximately $43.84.
The Chicago River Dyeing
The Chicago River is dyed green every St. Patrick's Day morning. The tradition began in 1962 when Stephen Bailey, a member of the local plumbers union, discovered that the orange dye used to detect sewage leaks turned the river green. Mayor Richard J. Daley made it an official annual tradition.
The dye is an environmentally safe vegetable-based formula. The exact recipe is a closely guarded secret of the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local Union 130. Approximately 40 pounds of dye is dispersed across a 1.5-mile stretch of the river by union members in motorboats. The green color typically lasts 4 to 5 hours.
What People Wear and Eat
Wearing green: Failure to wear green on St. Patrick's Day traditionally results in being pinched by friends. This is an American tradition with no roots in Ireland.
Corned beef and cabbage: Considered the traditional American St. Patrick's Day meal. Irish immigrants in 19th-century New York adopted corned beef as a cheap substitute for the bacon they ate in Ireland. The meal is not traditional in Ireland itself, where lamb and Irish stew are more common.
Soda bread: A traditional Irish bread that became popular in the 19th century when baking soda first became available.
Guinness beer: The Irish stout sells approximately 13 million pints globally on St. Patrick's Day, more than double a normal day's sales.
All Date Calculators
Frequently Asked Questions
St. Patrick's Day 2027 falls on Wednesday, March 17, 2027. The date is always March 17 on the Gregorian calendar.
As of June 19, 2026, there are 271 days until St. Patrick's Day on March 17, 2027.
No. St. Patrick's Day is not a US federal holiday. Government offices, schools, and businesses remain open on March 17. It is a cultural and commercial observance. It is a public holiday in Ireland, Northern Ireland, and a few other places.
Saint Patrick was a 5th-century Christian missionary born in Roman Britain. He was kidnapped by Irish raiders at age 16 and held as a slave for six years before escaping. He later returned to Ireland as a bishop and is credited with converting much of the Irish population to Christianity. His traditional feast day is March 17.
The Chicago River has been dyed green every St. Patrick's Day since 1962. The tradition began when Stephen Bailey of the local plumbers union discovered that orange leak-detection dye turned the river green. Mayor Richard J. Daley made it an official tradition. Approximately 40 pounds of vegetable-based dye is used each year.
Wearing green is associated with Ireland, called the Emerald Isle for its lush landscape. In American tradition, failure to wear green on St. Patrick's Day results in being pinched. This tradition originated in the US in the 18th or 19th century and has no roots in Ireland itself.
Corned beef and cabbage is an American tradition, not Irish. Irish immigrants in 19th-century New York adopted corned beef as a cheap substitute for the bacon they ate in Ireland. In Ireland, traditional St. Patrick's Day meals include lamb, Irish stew, and seafood. Cabbage was a cheap vegetable readily available in immigrant neighborhoods.
There are 25 weeks and 4 days until St. Patrick's Day 2027 on Wednesday, March 17, 2027. That is 25.6 weeks counted as full 7 day blocks, and the number on this page updates every day.
St. Patrick's Day 2027 is about 5 months away. Months are counted by calendar month, so each one can be 28 to 31 days long, which is why 179 days does not divide evenly into months.
St. Patrick's Day 2026 is on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. St.
St. Patrick's Day 2027 is on Wednesday, March 17, 2027. St.
St. Patrick's Day 2028 is on Friday, March 17, 2028. St.
St. Patrick's Day 2029 is on Saturday, March 17, 2029. St.