March 17 is finally here, and if you are lucky enough to spend St. Patrick's Day in Boston, you will have the difficult task of choosing from a large number of festivities today.

The Irish patron saint holds a particular significance in the Massachusetts capital, and not just because scores of immigrants from the Emerald Isle made their home in its traditional neighborhoods, most notably South Boston; "St. Patrick" was also the password for safe passage through continental lines during the Revolutionary War.

Ever since 1901, Bostonians have merged St. Patty's Day with "Evacuation Day" to mark the ouster of British troops from the city at the hands of George Washington. Twice the reason to celebrate, you might say, and here is where you can do it:

  • The Irish Cultural Centre of New England is hosting a St. Patrick's Day Celebration that features Irish music, dance and food, About Travel noted. Doimnic Mac Giolla Bhríde, a traditional sean-nós singer from the Irish Gaeltacht, will be entertaining until 9 p.m. The center is located at 200 New Boston Drive in Canton, Massachusetts, southwest of Boston. More information about the event is available at (781) 821-8291.

  • March 17 pairs up well with a pint or two of Guinness, and participants in the Official St. Paddy's Day Bar Crawl will likely have their share of cold brew, according to Party Earth. A one-day pass to the event is $10, and registration takes place at Rumor Nightclub (100 Warrenton St.) and Royale (279 Tremont St.). And while you never know where your Irish-inspired enthusiasm may take you, past participating bars have included Kitty O'Shea's, Goodbar, Julep Bar and Guilt.

  • The traditional South Boston St. Patrick's Day Parade already took place this past Sunday, and it was a historic one because the organizing South Boston Allied War Veterans Council finally ended its decades-long rift with gay-rights groups and invited all of Beantown to celebrate. If you were not able to attend, you still have the chance to head out to some other Massachusetts events in the coming days: Abington, 20 miles south of Boston, and Holyoke, 90 miles west of the state capital, hold their parades on March 22, according to Irish Massachusetts.