High spirits: this year’s parade will kick off at midday at Hyde Park Corner
(Picture: PA)After two years away, London’s much-loved St Patrick’s Day celebrations are finally set to make a triumphant return to the capital.
The main event in amongst all the Guinness-fuelled festivities will be the parade, which marches through central London this weekend, followed by an afternoon of Irish-themed fun in Trafalgar Square at the London Mayor’s official festival.
Here’s what you need to know.
Where does the St Patrick’s Day parade route start and finish?
The parade will get going at midday on Sunday March 13, beginning at Hyde Park Corner before heading down through Piccadilly, St James’s Street, Pall Mall, Cockspur Street and Whitehall.
Around 50,000 people are expected to tag along with the parade, following the giant St Patrick figure, the Garda band from Dublin, other marching bands and dance troupes.
This year’s Grand Marshals will be made up of key workers — from paramedics and nurses to supermarket workers and teachers — as a tribute to their work protecting the community during the Covid pandemic.
What’s happening at the Trafalgar Square festival?
The parade will wind up at Trafalgar Square, which will host a variety of St Patrick’s Day events, curated by the London Irish Centre, until 6pm.
There will be a live music line-up, headlined by folk acts Damien Dempsey and Altan, and featuring performances from the Irish Elderly Pensioners Choir, Fiddler of London, Séamus & Caoimhe Uí Fhlatharta, and more.
Elsewhere, there will be food stalls, with the main attraction being the food demos run by Anna Haugh of Myrtle Restaurant. Film screenings, choirs, dance performances, children’s workshops and more will also be dotted around the square.
Head here for the full line-up.
