St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday which many people look forward to each year, and while many celebrate by wearing green and pinching those who don’t, there are other ways to celebrate the day. St. Patrick’s Day is on the death date of Saint Patrick, a notable patron Saint of Ireland. It commemorates him and the beginning of Christianity in Ireland.

While the holiday is a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador and the British Overseas Territory of Montserrat, it is more widely-celebrated than any other national festival.

Celebrations typically involve festivals and parades, wearing green and Shamrocks and, for those who are Christian, attending church services.

The Lenten restrictions of alcohol are lifted on the holiday, leading to the perception that the holiday is for alcohol consumption.

It is important to remember that this holiday is not supposed to be a day to stereotype Irish people and culture but to celebrate Saint Patrick and Christianity. St. Patrick’s Day has been celebrated in the United States since the 1700s.

Here are a few ways to celebrate this weekend:

1. For those who are 21, stop in at Finnigan’s Wake Irish Pub. One tradition for St. Patrick’s Day is to drink Irish whiskey, beer or cider, and to “drown the shamrock” by putting a shamrock in a cup and filling it with one of those three drinks. This is to toast Saint Patrick, Ireland or the present. This is typically done at the end of celebrations for the holiday.

2. Foothills is having various events on Saturday to celebrate the holiday. Some of these events include a viewing party for the Ireland v. England sport game at noon, food trucks in the afternoon, Irish dance performances, music and more. The events are hosted in partnership with the Winston-Salem Wolfhounds, an Irish football club.

3. It is typical to wear green, shamrock or green accessories. Saint Patrick used the shamrock to explain to the Pagan Irish the meaning of the Holy Trinity. Additionally, since the 1640s, the color green has been associated with Ireland, and green attire and shamrocks have been worn on St. Patrick’s Day since the 1680s.

4. Another way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day is to eat some Irish cuisine like shepherd’s pie, Irish stew, scones, potato bread and more.

There are many ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, whether you like to go all-out or wear a simple green outfit. Regardless of what you do, enjoy the holiday and celebrations of Irish culture.