Take in the sights and sounds of one of the largest spectacles in the world---the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade. Bringing a taste of Ireland to the Big Apple every March since 1762, this New York tradition predates the Declaration of Independence by 14 years. Between 150,000 to 250,000 marchers, musicians and politicians participate in the parade, in front more than two million spectators as of 2010. Starting at 44th Street, the parade marches up Fifth Avenue past St. Patrick's Cathedral and ends at the Metropolitan Museum of Art at 86th Street.
St. Patrick's Day Parade and Celebration Committee
P.O. Box 295 Woodlawn Station
Bronx, NY 10470
718-231-4400
nyc-st-patrick-day-parade.org
Participate in the annual March Madness Biathlon, organized by the New York Triathlon Club. Athletes in this race run two miles and bike 12 miles along a pre-determined route from the Upper East Side to Central Park. Entry fees range from $60 to $70 as of 2010, depending on when you pay. Spectators can watch from cordoned-off areas along the route, but the biggest crowds gather near the finish line.
New York Triathlon Club
P.O. Box 50
Saugerties, NY 12477
845-247-0271
nytc.org
View rare works of art at the Armory Show, New York's international arts fair. Since 1913, art aficionados have gathered every March to appreciate artistic masterpieces at venues around the city, including Pier 92 and Pier 94 on the Hudson River. As of 2010, more than 60,000 people take in The Armory Show every year.
The Armory Show
7 West 34th St., Suite 1027
New York, NY 10001
212-645-6440
thearmoryshow.com
Stop and smell the orchids at the New York Botanical Garden. Located in Bronx Park, the Botanical Garden has more than a million plants and flowers spread across 250 acres. More than 800,000 people visit the Botanical Garden every year. In March, visitors get to see the Orchid Show, where rare and exotic orchids make their first appearance of the season.
The New York Botanical Garden
200th Street and Kazimiroff Blvd.
Bronx, NY 10458
718-817-8700
nybg.org
Put on your skates and go ice skating at the rink in front of Rockefeller Center. Open from October to April every year, the Rockefeller Center Ice Rink attracts more than 250,000 skaters annually. With a surface that's 59 feet wide and 122 feet long, the rink can only fit up to 150 skaters at a time.
Rockefeller Center Ice Rink
600 5th Ave.
New York, NY 100020
212-332-7654
patinagroup.com
