Your Guide To The Perfect Parade This St. Patrick's Day

On March 17th, the Emerald Isle takes centre stage, and the world goes green for St. Patrick’s Day with crowds swarming to witness the spectacle of a St. Patrick’s Day parade. Local performers, vibrant colours, and joyful cheer fill the streets. Step into some top-tier celebrations and take a look at some of the best-loved Irish destinations to travel to for this monumental day.

Dublin

There is no better way to enjoy a truly authentic St. Patrick’s Day experience than to head to the capital city of the Republic of Ireland. Attracting over 100,000 tourists annually over this period, this vibrant Irish homeland plays host to one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day parades with over half a million observers in attendance. The streets are filled with emerald-green garments, novelty gear and an abundance of joy. The fun starts at noon with the parade route beginning at Parnell square, where audiences can expect to be mesmerized by a variety of street entertainment, multicoloured floats and ensembles of performers and dancers. After roughly 2 hours of Irish glee, the parade comes to its grand conclusion at the festival’s patron saint namesake, St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Don’t forget to taste some traditional Irish beverages whilst you’re there - green pints all around!

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Belfast

There’s more than one place to experience a fabulous St. Patricks Day parade and you don’t have to look too much further than one of Ireland’s most iconic cities. Belfast provides its guests with a warm and welcoming celebration of the homeland’s national holiday with a particular spotlight on the city’s musical reputation. Known to be a pageant of costume and colour, the St. Patrick’s Day parade also showcases some astonishing talent with performances from local musicians and dancers and thespians. With a prompt curtain call of 1:30 pm, the parade premiers at Belfast City Hall and snakes through the city streets before concluding with a concert where the crowd can delight in the regional talent on show. The parade guarantees family fun and better yet, tickets to the event are free and bookable online! Embrace the magic of St. Patrick’s Day this year in a city full of fun and frolic.

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Cork

Outside of Belfast and Dublin, Cork is one of Ireland’s must-see spots, and during St. Patrick’s Day, the city comes alive with Irish charm. The entire festival spans a few days with multiple events taking place all over the city, including live music in multiple venues, craft and design markets at Nano Nagle Place and the Cork Film Festival. Most of these events are free to attend, however, some are ticketed so be sure to check and book beforehand. Nevertheless, the centrepiece of the festivities is Cork’s St. Patrick’s Day parade. The annual pageant is presented by the wonderful and varied communities that make the city so beautifully charming. A vibrant display of colour and magic, the parade features members of local sports and dance groups as well as the long-established brass bands, and sometimes even a special guest or two. The procession begins at 1:30 pm and routes around the city, ending on the bank of the famed River Lee that runs through the city. The event is also streamed live for those who can’t attend, but we’d urge you to go along and immerse yourself in an atmosphere of glee and national pride.

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