People playing Bagpipes at St Patrick's Day Parade 2017 Trafalgar Square
Photograph: Sandor Szmutko
Photograph: Sandor Szmutko

St Patrick’s Day 2026 in London: events, parties and celebrations

You don’t have to go to Ireland to enjoy the party atmosphere of St Patrick’s Day 2026, as there’s plenty going on right here in London

Rosie Hewitson
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The Irish really know how to celebrate, so when it comes to St Patrick’s Day in London, the city’s Irish community has no problem showing us how it’s done. With an estimated 170,000 Irish expats living in the city, and many more Londoners with Irish heritage, the celebration of Ireland’s patron saint is always one big welcoming bash, involving plenty of dancing, hearty traditional dishes, a huge parade and as many pints and drams of whiskey as you can handle.

The Mayor of London’s annual St Patrick’s Day Festival celebration will take place on Sunday, March 15 – two days before the official holiday – and, as usual, thousands of revellers are expected to watch the parade wend its way from Hyde Park Corner to Trafalgar Square for a giant free party with Irish music, food and performances from 12noon to 6pm.

If you don’t fancy braving the crowds of central London for the main event in the capital, there are still plenty of St Patrick’s Day parties and events to check out. We’ll be rounding up the best of them below as they get announced, so you’ve got plenty of time to get planning for a very green week.

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