This year’s St Patrick’s Day parade is lined up for Sunday March 16, with more than 50,000 partygoers expected to come out and celebrate.
Recent figures show there are more than 170,000 Irish expats in London and many more have Irish heritage. Needless to say, St Patrick’s Day in London is a big deal.
Now in its 23rd year, the capital’s annual festivities again begin with a parade, before music, arts, and plenty of food and drink.
So, what’s the craic?
Where does the parade take place?
London’s St Patrick’s Day parade will form up at Hyde Park Corner. This year there are two grandmasters leading the procession, para cyclist Katie-George Dunlevy, who clinched two gold medals in the Paralympic Games, and boxer Kellie Harrington, who won two gold medals in the Olympic Games for Ireland. Both will head towards Piccadilly Circus, Regent Street, St James's, Pall Mall, Cockspur Street before the home straight along Whitehall. All congregate in Trafalgar Square for the main festivities.
Watching the procession from Piccadilly before heading directly to Trafalgar Square will probably ensure the best view of the passing of the parade.
What happens in Trafalgar Square?
The best of Irish arts, music, food and drink — yes, there will be Guinness, probably a drop of Murphy’s too — will follow the capital’s annual parade, with a line-up curated in partnership with the London Irish Centre.
This year, the main stage will be hosted by Irish-Indian-Malaysian DJ and broadcaster Tara Kumar. Other Irish acts such as Kila, Women in Harmony, and Rag-CV are booked too.
Elsewhere, the Irish Creative Collective Sessions is a new addition, where visitors can enjoy comedy, music, spoken word, and Irish film and TV shorts.
The Irish Dance Zone is to offer basic Irish dancing steps, meanwhile, and the wonderful Peace Heroines Exhibition will be showcasing some of Ireland’s unsung women heroes.
This year’s host will be writer and producer Xnthony, while the chef Anna Haugh — best-known for her appearances on TV’s MasterChef and her Chelsea restaurant Myrtle — returns to orchestrate food demos alongside children’s workshops and games.
Event line up
The parade showcases a spectacular array of Irish County Associations, community groups, organisations, and businesses, plus lively performances from marching bands, music ensembles, dance groups and carnival performers.
Main stage (host Tara MC):
Comedians: Ruby Kearney, Megan Ita O'Rourke, Caroline Kane, Ciara Barnes, Mark T. Cox, Dane Buckley, Leigh Douglas.
Other music from: Blandid, Cormac Todd, Sean Finch, Gareth Freiheit, Senna O’Hara, TooWawl.
Poets: Tumi Salu, John Hurley, Shakira Newton, Paul Dalton.
Stalls: Trinity Hampers, The London Irish Centre, Conrah na Gaeilge , Irish in Britain, Irish Film and TV Ltd, London GAA.
Food and drink: Chick N Sours, Churros Garcia, Clonakilty black pudding, Howe and Co Fish and Chips, Kelly Cornish Ice Cream, The Wee Sisters (celebrity chef Anna Haugh), You Bao.
When does the festival begin and end?
The St Patrick’s Day parade will kick-off at midday, with festivities at Trafalgar Square from 1pm. Events wind down — officially, at least — at 6pm. Head to a pub or bar afterwards if you want to carry on.
Anything else?
Those wishing to attend will be searched before heading into the square and bags larger than an A4 sheet of paper are not permitted. Aside from the obvious items that are banned — anything dangerous or your own booze — full facial masks will be confiscated, as will “items that could cause loud audible disruption”, which includes megaphones and air horns.
