Chicago Tours and Attractions

This Saint’s day is wonderfully all-inclusive - for saints and sinners!  In the days and sometimes weeks surrounding March 17, we all celebrate our Irish roots – real or imagined!  Everyone, real Paddies, Plastic Paddies and Paddie wannabees, celebrates – one way or the other, or both.

Why is Saint Patrick’s Day so popular?  Because around 15% of us are Plastic Paddy’s – descendents of the Famine Irish who immigrated to America in massive numbers during the great Irish Famine of 1845-1850 and who lived in great poverty, in deplorable conditions, and endured intense discrimination.  Yet, they survived it all, rising one generation at a time to success, prominence, and assimilation.  Saint Patrick’s Day celebrates the pride of that achievement and deeply rooted cultural heritage.

For these celebrants, it’s a time of tradition, honored in special Masses and heralded in festive parades where clans proudly wear their colors and Irish bands perform.  Families in huge numbers line the streets of cities with a deep Irish heritage, cities like Chicago, New York, Boston, Savannah, to listen to bagpipes, enjoy marching bands, marvel at the flying feet of traditional Irish dance groups. Irish bands perform on street stages set up along the way, there’s dancing in the street, and the strains of Celtic folk music is everywhere.   Brigades of neon green fire trucks rumble by and even Irish Setters and Irish Wolfhounds strut their stuff and.  It’s festive and fun!

In these cities, everything paint-able turns green; anything remotely Irish is on display.  Shamrocks fly proudly on flags and are pasted on windows; people wear green creations; green beads are thrown from floats by leprechauns of all shapes and sizes; fountains and even rivers run green!

Crowds line up to get into Irish pubs to down Guinness Stout as well as other creations, mixed especially for the occasion, some green – The Frogger, The Dancing Leprechaun, the Dublin Handshake, the Irish Car Bomb - or Irish brews, by the pint – Guinness, Murphy’s, Harp, dark or light.  Corned beef and cabbage and shepherd’s pie are on every restaurant menu, Irish or not.

Boston has the distinction of being the first city to celebrate the Irish, way back in 1737.  Here, the parade is always on the Sunday before the actual Saint’s day. This year it’s on March 15 from 1-5pm in South Boston, the most Irish of Irish neighborhoods, and it’s filled with tradition and fun.

Savannah’s parade, the 2 nd largest in the country, was first held in 1813, and the luck of the Irish still shines.  Savannah’s celebration lasts a month and it’s big!  It’s kicked off by the Savannah Irish Festival in mid-February, and Irish-themed events go on throughout town, culminating in the parade on March 17.  The Greening of the Fountain in Forsyth Park is the first of the March events.  The water flowing from the impressively beautiful fountain in Savannah’s biggest park is green, as is the water in all of the many other fountains within Savannah city limits. This Saturday, March 14, Emmet Park at the east end of Bay Street is transformed into the Emerald Isle during Tara Feis Irish Celebration.  A real crowd pleaser, the setting is wonderful and the entertainment spectacular.  There are continuous live performances by well-known Celtic groups, traditional Irish bands, including this year’s headliners, Cherish The Ladies.  For kids, there’s music, dance, the telling of wonderful Irish folktales, and lots of food.  The day of the grand finale, the big parade, begins with a celebration of Mass in the Cathedral of John the Baptist.

Green Chicago River

The New York City and the Chicago parades tie for first in terms of attendance, nearly 2 million each! Chicago’s starts at noon on Saturday, March 14, just after the much anticipated Dyeing of the Chicago River – green, of course.

Marching for the 248 th consecutive year is the New York City Saint Patrick’s Day Parade, which has the honor of being reviewed by His Eminence Cardinal Edward Egan, Archbishop of New York, from the steps of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral.  As the nation’s first recorded parade (1762), this one is pure pageantry and tradition as politicians, proud clans, Irish nationalist societies, and police and firemen walk the route along 5 th Avenue, from 44 to 86 streets.

This is the traditional side of Saint Patrick’s Day.

Then there’s the revelry.  For these celebrants, be they true Irish, those with a wee bit of Irish, or those without a drop of Irish blood, it’s party time!

They dress in wild green outfits, don a silly hats with a glittery shamrock pasted on the front, paint their faces green and nails green, wear green wigs, and partake in things Saint Patrick never envisioned – pub crawls and all-night drinking in Irish and not-so-Irish places.  In some cities, entire streets are closed allowing revelers to walk from bar to bar and mingle with green-tinted spirits in plastic cups.  We do this without really knowing why.

Where’s the connection?  The shamrock and the green first: As legend has it, St. Patrick wore a shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to the Irish pagans he was trying to convert to Christianity.  Green is also said to be the color of growth, renewal, and abundance, and with spring just around the corner,  why not celebrate!

And the drinking part? Blame it on Pota Phadraig or Patrick’s Pot, also the stuff of legend. As the story goes, while visiting an inn during his travels, Patrick was served a glass of whiskey which was less than full, and he saw his chance to teach the lesson of generosity.  He told the innkeeper that a devil lived in his cellar who fed off his dishonesty and in order to get rid of the cellar-dwelling devil the innkeeper had to change his ways. When Patrick returned to the inn, the keeper was gladly filling his patrons’ glasses to the brim. Patrick found the devil emaciated from the landlord’s generosity and banished him.  Thereafter, St. Patrick proclaimed that everyone should have a drop of whiskey on his feast day.

So today, hordes of people line up ready to partake in Pota Phadraig, not by the drop, but by the gulp.  St. Patty’s “Luck of the Irish” Pub Crawl 2009 in New York City is as advertised: three days of wearing green and drinking cheap beer – over 5 miles, 3 days and 100 bars!  Looking something not quite as roudy?  Make the rounds of top 5 Irish pubs in New York.

Boston revelers take over on March 17, at about 5pm.  Huge lines queue up at bars, Irish or not, all over the city, and a lot of drinks go down in places like the Black Rose, arguably the most famous Boston Irish bar, Hurricane O’Reilly’s, Purple Shamrock, Green Dragon Tavern, Coogan’s, Clery’s, Tiernan’s Irish Pub, Kitty O’Shea’s, Ned Divine’s, and any bar in and around Fanuiel Hall and on Union Street.  This is the time to try the top 10 Irish beers.

Savannah’s City Market is the scene of constant activity – bars and more bars; bands and more bands.  This year, the first Battle of the Bagpipes is happening in front of Molly McPherson’s, with guests pipers from the NYC Police and Fire Department, Ireland, Boston – and more.  This may get wild and crazy with all those guys in kilts!  And, as if this were not enough, the length of River Street is closed off for the plastic to-go-cup brigade, and a stop at Kevin Barry’s is a must.

Regardless of where you are, celebrate to your liking with gusto.  Listen to Celtic music, attend a special mass, watch a parade.  Wear a touch of green, bring green bagels to work, try corned beef and cabbage,  And just maybe, partake in Pota Phadraig.  Saint Patrick said it was OK.

1. Museum of Bad Art (MoBA) – Not sure how else to describe this museum… the title sums it up pretty well. The Museum of Bad Art describes its mission perfectly – “dedicated to the collection, preservation, exhibition and celebration of bad art in all its forms.” Artists that are featured at the MoBA are talented, esteemed artists that have created works that cause fans to say “what was he thinking?”. Founded by Scott Wilson who began the museum with its first masterpiece in 1993, “Lucy in the Field of Flowers”, apparently discovered in a trash pile in Boston. Museum Of Bad Art, Basement of Dedham Communitiy Theatre, 580 High Street, Dedham MA, Telephone: 1-781-444-6757 www.museumofbadart.org
    
    

 

2. Glore Psychiatric Museum – Housed in the building that was originally called the “State Lunatic Asylum No. 2”, the Glore Psychiatric Museum takes a look at the history of psychiatric institutions and techniques for administering “care” for the mentally disabled. Earliest diagnoses for treatment of the mentally ill started with a sharp stick or perhaps a club. Human progress and compassion through history introduced humiliation, dunking, burnings at the stake and bleeding as “treatment”. Fortunately, modern 20th century medicine has made significant breakthroughs in psychiatric care including icy baths, shock therapy, tranquilizers, and vibrating chairs (just a hint of sarcasm here). The museum has an exhibit entitled “1,446 Objects Swallowed by a Patient” (see picture… includes 453 nails, 409 pins, 63 buttons, 42 screws, 5 thimbles, and 3 salt shaker tops). Other artifacts and exhibits include a tranquilizer chair, a giant “hamster wheel” for energetic patients, electroshock devices, and hydrotherapy devices (ice bath) www.stjosephmuseum.org/glore.php Glore Psychiatric Museum, 3408 Frederick Ave., St. Joseph, MO, Telephone: 1- 816-364-1209
   

3. Fall River Historical Society – If you ever find your way up through the New England countryside and the quaint town of Fall River, be sure to stop in to visit this little museum of history. Amongst its collection of 19^th century decorative arts, costumes, steamship history and other mild-mannered-exhibits will you find an exhibit of one of the most horrific murder s of the late 19^th century. Lizzie Borden (as in “Lizzie Borden took an axe and gave her mother forty whacks….”) was charged in 1892 of murdering her mother and father with an axe (and giving them both 40 whacks). Later acquitted, this was considered to be the trial of the century. The Fall River Historical Society boasts the largest collection of memorabilia from the crime and trial including the hatchet used, photographs of the crime scene, pillow cases with blood on them, pictures of Lizzie’s mom and dad skull’s, and other REALLY macomb artifacts. If you haven’t had enough of Lizzie Borden, you can visit the crime scene. In fact you can even stay at the place. The home where the crime was committed is now open as a bed and breakfast. www.lizzieborden.org, Fall River Historical Society, 451 Rock St, Fall River, MA Telephone 1-508-679-1071
    

4. Liberace Museum – While in Las Vegas be sure to pay your respects to a very famous Vegas showman – Wladziu Valentino Liberace (you may call him Liberace). Famous for his outrageous costumes, incredible piano skills and performances, and a Baldwin piano encrusted in with thousands of rhinestones, Liberace deserves his museum in Sin City. The Liberace Museum has on display (including the Baldwin piano) Liberace’s legendary wardrobes, elaborately ornate cars (check out the Rolls Royce), and his jewelry. www.liberace.org/liberace_museum/ Liberace Museum, 1775 East Tropicana Avenue (at Spencer) Las Vegas, NV Telephone: 1-702-798-5595
    
    

5. National Museum of Funeral History – dedicated to the history of the coffin building industry and the funeral business, the National Museum of Funeral History is located in the reproduction of an early 1900’s coffin factory. Visitors will experience and learn how coffins were constructed over the years and how coffins are made today. Other exhibits include Civil War embalming, fantasy coffins (how about a coffin made in the shape of a fish, or an airplane, or how about a chicken?), and the funeral industry Hall of Fame. www.nmfh.org The National Museum of Funeral History, 415 Barren Springs Drive , Houston, TX Telephone: 1-281-876-3063
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

6. The Mütter Museum – M, m, m, m…. museum of horrors! The Mutter Museum is a medical museum located at the College of Physicians in Philadelphia. It was originally created in 1858 from the collection that was donated by Thomas Dent Mutter. The museum displays medical oddities, instruments, and preserved human specimens. Highlights of the Mutter Museum include the skeleton of the tallest human being in North America, a preserved 5’ long colon, preserved human organs and body parts, President Grover Cleveland’s tumor, the conjoined liver of Siamese twins Chang and Eng Bunker, a growth removed from Lincoln’s assassin John Wilkes Booth, and mummified corpse of the Soap Lady… all here and preserved for your viewing pleasure. www.collphyphil.org/mutter.asp The Mutter Museum , 19 South 22nd Street, Philadelphia, PA, Telephone: 1-215-563-3737
    

7. Vent Haven Ventriloquist Museum - Coined as the only museum dedicated to the art ventriloquism, the Vent Haven Ventriloquist Museum will delight visitors of all ages. The museum showcases over 700 figures and thousands of books, playbills and photographs that are related to ventriloquism. www.venthavenmuseum.net Vent Haven Museum, 33 West Maple Avenue, Fort Mitchell, KY, 1-859-341-0461
    
    
   

   
    
   

8. National Museum of Health and Medicine – Haven’t had enough of seeing preserved body parts? Well, you’re in luck! Skip on over to Washington DC for fun filled day of people watching (dead people watching that is). John Wilkes Booth sure does get around! At the National Museum of Health and Medicine you can find even more preserved parts of the assassin. Other exhibits include Civil War skeletons and pictures and illustrations of wounds, Korean War artifacts, live leeche display, and largest collection of microscopes dating to the 1600’s. The National Museum of Health and Medicine claims to have more than 10,000 preserved organs and 5,000 skeletal specimens that explore medical cases of disease and injury. Be sure to visit the “Anatifacts” exhibit featuring the preserved giant tumor, a human hair ball, and body parts of famous Americans – vetebraes of John Wilkes Booth and James Garfield. The National Museum of Health and Medicine also has on display the bullet that killed Lincoln. www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/medtour/nmhm.html National Museum of Health and Medicine, 6900 Georgia Avenue, NW Washington, DC
    

9. American Sanitary Plumbing Museum - Located just outside of Boston in Worcester, MA, you will find the official museum dedicated to the history of the commode. Why shouldn’t there be a museum dedicated to such an important household fixture? The museum tells the history of the toilet and other sanitary fixtures as well provides visitors with a number of “artifacts”. Visitors will learn interesting facts such as how we went from corncobs to toilet paper (ouch!)… now that is something to be grateful for! 39 Piedmont Street, Worcester, MA Telephone: 1-508-754-9453
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

10. BODIES…The Exhibition - I guess Americans have a fascination (obsession) with seeing dead people preserved. Now if you’ve visited the Muller in Philadelphia and the National museum of Health and Medicine in Washington D.C. and you want more… Bodies… The Exhibition is your next stop. You can find Bodies in a city nearest you as they have exhibitions in New York City, Fort Lauderdale, San Diego, Framingham, Columbus, Las Vegas (now that’s a big surprise) and Pittsburgh. Utilizing a patented preservation process, curators of Bodies display real human cadavers in everyday positions (minus skin tissue of course) www.bodiestheexhibition.com
     

11. New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum – Believed to be the only museum dedicated to the practice of Voodoo, the New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum tells visitors about the traditional practices of the Voodoo religion in New Orleans. The Voodoo Museum houses artifacts of the Great Voodoo Queen, Marie Laveau. Walking tours are provided daily and during the evening. www.voodoomuseum.com New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum, 724 Dumaine Street, New Orleans, LA, Telephone: 1-504-680-0128