With people from all over the world, there are lots of special days in New York.

St. Patrick's Day

Many New Yorkers are Irish and St. Patrick's Day on March 17 is an important day for the city. There is a big parade through the center of Manhattan. This is the oldest parade in the city and one of the most famous. If you go to it, remember to wear green, the color of Ireland.

New Year's Eve

On December 31, there is always a big crowd in Times Square. It is one of the biggest parties in the world. Everyone waits for midnight. Then a big, shining glass ball drops as the New Year begins. It reaches the bottom at midnight exactly.

In the rest of the US, people can see the ball at Times Square on television. (But they can't always watch it at midnight—12 o'clock in New York is only 11 o'clock in Chicago or 9 o'clock in Los Angeles.)

Parades

New Yorkers love parades. If one of the city's sports teams is very successful, the city often has a parade. If a famous foreign politician or a king or queen is visiting, there is sometimes a parade. There have been parades for Queen Elizabeth II and Nelson Mandela. There have also been parades for other famous people. In 1969, there was a parade for Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon. Parades in the city usually start at the south of Manhattan and move north.