St. Patrick's day fell on a Saturday this year and fans of green beer, Ireland and revelry in general took to the streets and their favorite Irish pubs to celebrate the holiday, which commemorates Saint Patrick, who rid Ireland of snakes, according to popular Christian lore. If you can't participate in the festivities yourself, enjoy our slide show of people around the world celebrating St. Patrick's day. If you want your own photographs included in the slide show post them on Twitter with the hashtag #StPaddysIBT.

For information on the the NYC parade go here to learn the parade route, where to watch from the street and on TV as well as how to stream it live on your computer, and check out the IBTimes' complete guide to celebrating St. Paddy's day in New York City here.

We hope you enjoy the holiday, which unofficially signifies the end of the Winter season.

For many consumers, St. Patrick's Day is the officially kickoff to spring -- typically a time when many people start stocking up on warm weather apparel, patio and garden merchandise and even home accents like candles, throw pillows and new bed sets, the National Retail Federation said in a statement.

Retail Twitter New York Retail