London St. Patrick's Day Parade and Festival 2013 Festival / Holiday Event / Parade Mar 17, 2013

With over one hundred thousand visitors every year, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival in London is one of the largest celebrations of the Irish holiday outside of Dublin and New York. And being just a stone’s throw across the sea, it’s about as close as you can get to the Old Country, too.

Taking place on the weekend closest to the 17th of March, the parade begins at noon in Central London with floats, marching bands, street theater, and lots and lots of Guinness. All thirty-two counties of Ireland are represented in the two-hour parade as it makes its way to Trafalgar Square, where the rest of the festival carries out.

The square is packed with live music, Irish dancing, a children’s area filled with arts and crafts, and even an afternoon of Irish cinema screenings at the Prince Charles Theatre around the corner. Performers at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival in London include the likes of Declan O’Rourke, the Irish Symphony Orchestra, and Paul Brady. There are no tickets to the St. Patrick’s Day parade in London -- all you have to do is show up. After the festival, be sure to stroll into Central London to continue the celebration. Local Irish pubs like Waxy O’Conner’s and O’Neill’s are always guaranteed to be packed and rowdy long into the night.