Manchester St Patrick’s Day Parade Returns After Four Year Absence

Manchester hosts a St. Patrick’s Day parade. This is its 35th year, returning to the city center in March. About 35% of Manchester has Irish roots, making St. Patrick’s Day very important there. They remember St. Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint, on this holiday.

People celebrate with parades, dancing, music, food, and drinks. Expect lots of green clothing and shamrocks. This year, St. Patrick’s Day falls on March 17th, with many events happening across Greater Manchester.

The annual parade is the main event, taking place on Sunday, March 16th, starting at midday. The parade begins at the Irish World Heritage Centre and goes down Deansgate. It ends at King Street’s junction where a podium welcomes the parade, hosted by Alan Keegan, the voice of Manchester United.

Dance groups will perform, and Irish bands will play music. Expect marching, pipes, and accordions. The St. Patrick’s Day parade is a part of the Manchester Irish Festival, running from March 7th to 17th.

The festival features over 250 events, occurring at many places in Manchester. A pop-up tent will be in St Ann’s Square, and a big Irish act plays at the O2 Apollo. Irish bars have live music, culture, and good times.

Last year, the festival had over 200 events. “The Village” was in St Ann’s Square where you could hear Irish singers and eat Irish food. Rack and Vanoffee sold food, and a big screen showed sports. Manchester’s Irish celebration is huge in Europe, growing quickly as more Irish people move to Manchester.