St Patrick’s Day Parade Dublin 2023

Join in on the streets of Dublin for the highly anticipated return of the spectacular national St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Friday March 17.

This year’s National St. Patrick’s Day Parade, driven by the values of community, diversity, youth and sustainability, will be the most ambitious ever, featuring breath-taking new artistic, interactive and aerial elements.

A major new opening pageant has been commissioned featuring a collaboration with St. Patrick’s Festival Community Arts pageant with Macnas, Junk Kouture, Discovery Gospel Choir, and a whole host of community groups, while the Festival continues to work with Ireland’s foremost creative pageant companies including Dublin Pride, Spraoi, Artastic, Inishowen Carnival and you might even spot some special Disney friends. This year, Buí Bolg and Kia are collaborating on an exciting new pageant entitled ‘The Future That Moves Us’ featuring an interactive AR element in the parade for the very first time. With half a million spectators expected to line this year’s route, the Parade will feature 7 creative pageants, 10 transitional showpiece performances, 15 marching bands from across Ireland, North America and Canada, and over 4,000 participants in what is shaping up to be the largest ever National St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Theme of One   –  Mar a Chéile Sinn

On our national day of cultural celebration, St. Patrick’s Festival invites those across the world to come together on Friday 17th March to collectively celebrate, share, laugh, perform, participate and remember that ‘Mar a chéile sinn’ (we are one). Embracing that unifying and inspirational theme of ONE, the National St. Patrick’s Day Parade 2023 will shine a light on all the goodness that surrounds us. The theme acts as a reminder that when we act with dignity and respect as ONE, we can protect each other and our wonderful world. Ireland is known for its enduring traditions, culture and heritage, but our stories are also part of a unifying global culture, one which bonds us through music, storytelling, sport, nature and tradition, one which traverses borders and reminds us of our shared responsibility for the united care of our planet, protecting it for our future generations.

Grandstands
There is no better way to enjoy all the colour and spectacle of the St. Patrick’s Festival Parade than from the comfort of your own seat in one of the Grandstands. ​

Each Grandstand offers covered, tiered, allocated seating, strategically located at five different areas along the Parade route. See and experience the Parade from a unique location, as our Grandstand Hosts provide lively commentary to our guests, telling the story of the parade as it unfolds right in front of you.​

✨ New for 2023 ✨
Emerald Circle Grandstand on O’Connell Street

Accessibility
St. Patrick’s Festival strive to be helpful and facilitating where they can, to all those who come out to see the National Parade. there are a number of areas along the Parade route that are reserved for attendees that have additional needs.

Times and Route –

Friday 17th March

The St Patrick’s Day Parade leaves Parnell Square North at 12 noon. It takes approximately 2 hours to pass and finishes at Kevin Street at 2pm.

Check here for further details and Route Map

Getting To The St Patrick’s Day Parade

Based on the experience of previous years, it is probably advisable to take public transport to your local parade as there will be both road and parking restrictions to facilitate the events taking place. Diversions will be in place which may lengthen journey times so it is advised to plan ahead.

St Patrick’s Day Festival Dublin

St. Patrick’s Festival in Dublin brings the nation alive, and promises lively days and nights of free celebrations and encompasses a feeling of what it means to be or just feel Irish.

A huge number of events are planned across the capital city and the rest of the country and many are free. From ceilis to treasure hunts, funfairs to comedy, there is something for every member of the family. The festivities culminate on 17 March, St Patricks Day with the traditional parade