Saint David's Day
Saint David' s Day is the feast (celebration) day of Saint David. He is the patron saint of Wales. His feast day falls on the 1st of March each year. The day is celebrated by the people of Wales and people of Welsh background throughout the world. The first day of March was chosen in memory of the death of Saint David. It is believed that he died on that day in 589. The date was declared a national day of celebration within Wales in the 18th century.
Everyone in the National Assembly for Wales voted to make St. David' s Day a public holiday in 2000. A poll conducted for Saint David' s Day in 2006 found that 87% of people in Wales wanted it to be a bank holiday, with 65% prepared to sacrifice a different bank holiday to ensure this. A petition in 2007 to make St. David' s Day a bank holiday was rejected by the office of the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair.
Parades are held in Wales on St. David' s Day. The largest parade is held in Cardiff. It is formally attended by either the British Monarch or the Prince of Wales. Parades are a mixture of folklore and military parade. On 1 March 2010, the seventh National St. David' s Day Parade took place in Cardiff city centre. Celebrations included concerts, a parade and a food festival featuring all Welsh produce.
References
Welsh culture
Christian holidays
National days
March events
18th-century establishments in Europe
Anniversary days in the United Kingdom