The Irish are experts when it comes to partying. They’re so good, in fact, they even have a special untranslatable term – the craic – to describe their unique brand of conviviality. With Trafalgar Square as the setting for London’s official bash in celebration of their patron saint, a blast is pretty much guaranteed.
When is the London St Patrick’s Day parade?
This year, the extravaganza is taking place the day before the official St Patrick’s Day celebrations, on Sunday March 16. It’s set to see more than 50,000 turning out for Irish food, dancing and a huge parade featuring pageantry, floats and music that will wend its way from Hyde Park Corner along Piccadilly, St James’s Street, Pall Mall, Cockspur Street and Whitehall.
Once it ends up in Trafalgar Square, there’ll be plenty more entertainment, with a main stage featuring Irish acts, as programmed by the London Irish Centre, plus a film festival (this year will have a sustainability theme). Elsewhere, expect stalls, food and a whole heap of fun as attendees paint the town green.
Read our guide to St Patrick’s Day in London.