The night St. Patrick came to town

When Spring Festival ended in February, most Chinese people didn't expect another holiday until Qingming Festival, or Tomb Sweeping Day, in early April. On March 17, however, a few dozen bewildered Zhengzhou residents had those expectations blown wide open.

March 17 is St. Patrick's Day, an Irish Catholic celebration of the patron saint from whom the holiday takes its name. For many, it is a celebration of all things Irish, focusing on everything from church services to Irish symbols like shamrocks and the color green. It's a day often marked by parades, and last but not least, a day when people consume plenty of alcohol.

Except for the church, all of these came together in the streets of Zhengzhou this year, and what a spectacle it was.