12 Reasons Why Newfoundland Is The Best Place To Celebrate St. Paddy's Day

    Other than, you know, Ireland.

    Lauren Strapagiel
    by Lauren Strapagiel

    BuzzFeed News Reporter, Canada

    1. Newfoundland takes St. Patrick's Day so seriously that they've made it a public holiday.

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    The only other places that do that are the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and the British territory Montserrat. Literally it's Ireland and Newfoundland. It's serious.

    In Newfoundland, it's observed on the closest Monday before March 17. So basically you might have a perfect excuse to celebrate twice.

    2. It's literally the closest place in North America to Ireland.

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    Cape Spear, near St. John's, is the eastern most point in North America, and therefore the shortest distance from Ireland.

    Which seems like as good a reason as any.

    3. Which means it's more than just drunk college students running around like maniacs. It's a day for the whole family to wear green and get festive.

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    4. ~But~ if you are looking to drink, Newfoundlanders have perfected the art of stretching a single day into a whole week of green-tinged shenanigans.

    The Cartoon Network / Via i.imgur.com

    5. We're talking like six days minimum.

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    6. But it totally makes sense, since Newfoundlanders are basically Irish.

    7. And many of them are actually Irish.

    8. In fact, Newfoundland has been called "the most Irish place in the world outside of Ireland."

    Kenny Louie CC BY / Via Flickr: kwl

    It even has an Irish name: "Talamh an Éisc." It means "land of the fish."

    9. St. John's paints the town green for the occasion.

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    10. Even the historical landmarks get a makeover, like the Cabot Tower up on Signal Hill.

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    11. Plus St. John's make it stupidly easy to barhop. George Street boasts the most bars and pubs per square foot in North America so you aren't barhopping so much as stumbling another 10 feet.

    12. And lastly, for whatever it's worth, Newfoundland dogs look really cute in green bowties.