Please note that this event has already occured.
Key information
Start date: Friday 16 March 2018
End date: Sunday 18 March 2018
Venue: Trafalgar Square, Westminster, London, WC2N 5DN, GB
Cost: No tickets required
The London St Patrick's Day Festival - now in its sixteenth year - attracts more than 125,000 people to events across London and to the parade and festival in central London and Trafalgar Square. It's become a destination event showcasing the best of Irish food, music, song, dance, culture and arts.
This year's three-day cultural and community festival across London will include:
The culmination of three days of the St. Patrick’s Day Festival, this community and cultural festival will showcase and celebrate the tremendous diversity, creativity, talent and breadth of the Irish community and culture in London. It will showcase emerging Irish artists and performances by stars of the West End musicals, Big St. Patrick’s Céilí, festival house band and special guests.
Main stage
Showcase of Irish community and culture
A jam-packed line-up to showcase and celebrate the tremendous diversity, creativity, and breadth of Irish culture.
The performers will also pay their tribute to Dolores O’Riordan of the Cranberries, who passed in London in early 2018.
Stage running order
- midday-12:25pm Track Dogs (and guests)
- 12:35pm-12:55pm Songs in Key of D
- 1pm-1:10pm Stephen James Smith
- 1:15pm-1:25pm Orla Gartland
- 1:30pm-1:45pm Speeches - Irish Ambassador, Minister, Mayoral rep
- 1:50pm-2:10pm Irish dance showcase
- 2:15pm-2:25pm Landless
- 2:30-2:45 Trad Gathering
- 2:55-3:15 Late Late Show House Band & Guests
- 3:20-3:40 Big Irish Céilí
- 3:50pm-4:05pm #IamIrish Showcase
- 4:15pm-4:35pm London Lasses
- 4:40pm-5pm Late Late Show House Band & Guests
- 5:10pm-5:40pm KILA
- 5:45pm-6pm FINALE - Tribute to Dolores O'Riordan. Choir - Zombie. Guest vocalists:Orla Gartland, Sinead Egan, Michelle Revins and Caroline Kay
Sponsor stalls
- Aer Lingus
- Tourism Ireland
- Irish Post
- Moriarty Concrete Services
Crafts stalls – North Terrace
Wild Irish skincare
Hand made soaps and skincare. All vegan-made using Irish Seaweed and natural ingredients.
Scents of Galway
Natural Galway-inspired soaps, candles and perfumes. 100% natural and handmade.
Spirit of Ireland arts
Connemara marble jewellery and souvenirs - Irish water and nature charms.
Fiona Concannon artist and Martina Furlong artists
Paintings and limited edition Giclée prints, scenes of landscape and wildlife of Ireland.
Mellas fudge
Good, old-fashioned fudge from Clonakilty, West Cork, Ireland.
Community Stalls
- Irish Cultural Centre
- London Irish LGBT Network
- Irish in Britain
- Irish Film London
- London Irish Rugby
- GAA
- Council of Irish Counties Association
- Southwark Irish Pensioners
Family Zone – Pall Mall East
Located in a Pall Mall alongside Trafalgar Square on Sunday 18 March from 12-6pm this space is dedicated to families.
This festival zone allows all the family to get involved with a great range of activities including games and stories about mystical secrets of ancient Irish tales including Grace O’Malley (Gráinne Ní Mhaille) the famous Irish pirate and the fairy Queen Maeve.
There will also be bubble shows, stilt walkers, roaming magicians, balloon modelling, children's entertainers and bodhran workshops. Dance to some great music, listen to stories being told and make the most of the experience with your little ones.
What’s even better – it’s all free!
The area will also include a picnic area with benches providing a quieter eating space for families.
The 17th London St. Patrick's Day parade will be on Sunday 18 March from midday.
Be amazed by flamboyant pageantry, elaborate floats, marching bands from across the UK, sports clubs and Irish dancing schools in the annual London St Patrick's Day Parade. The procession makes its way down Piccadilly on a 1.5-mile (2.4km) route, passing some of London's most iconic landmarks, including The Ritz, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square and onto Whitehall.
Two Irish icons will lead out this year's parade - actress Imelda Staunton and broadcaster Gloria Hunniford will join forces as Grand Marshals celebrating the success and contribution of Irish women.
Irish Film London will deliver a celebration of Irish Film and Animation again this March, with film screenings, workshops and director’s Q&As at the Prince Charles Cinema and the London Film School, as part of the London St Patrick's Day Festival.
The London Film School in Covent Garden kicks things off on Friday 16 March with two FREE programmes of Irish short films [rating 15]. The line-up will include Ian Power’s BAFTA nominated The Tattoo and Irish Film London Best Animation Award-winning Late Afternoon, directed by Louise Bagnall. Screenings will take place in two programmes, 1.30pm – 5pm. Please see www.irishfilmfestivallondon.com for more information and tickets.
Later that day, the Prince Charles Cinema, Leicester Square will play host to the UK Premiere of Damo & Ivor (90mins) at 6:30pm. The screening will be accompanied by a Q&A with the film’s director Ronan Burke and the lead actor Andy Quirke. Tickets are available from The Prince Charles Cinema website.
The festival continues on Sunday 18 March, with a return to the London Film School for a FREE family screening of Moon Man (90mins) and a children’s shadow animation workshop (2hrs). Tickets are free but must be allocated in advance. Please see www.irishfilmfestivallondon.com for more information and tickets.
As the excitement of the Parade and Trafalgar Square comes to a close, stroll over to Leicester Square where the Prince Charles Cinema will screen our final film event at 6:30pm: The Double UK Premiere screenings of An Béal Bocht (30mins) and Kíla: Pota Óir (60mins), accompanied by a Q&A with director Anthony White and members of Kíla. Tickets are available from The Prince Charles Cinema website.
Watch the trailer for Kíla: Pota Óir.
The St. Patrick's Film Festival London is programmed and coordinated by Irish Film London, in association with the Mayor of London.
16-18 March | London Film school | Prince Charles Cinema
Join Tony O’Donnell on these St Patrick's Day Guided walks
Free but booking is required, call 07850 184790.
Friday 16 March, 2pm
Terrible Beauty: the 1916 Rebellion in London Death and rebirth. Love and loathing. Independence and Empire; this tour has it all. After Dublin, London was the city most connected to the Easter Rising. Not just as the seat of government from which the rebels fought to break free but through the deep connections many of them held with this city.
This lively tour will turn the walk from Trafalgar Square to Whitehall into an amazing journey through the vortex of change released by the rebellion. This is the London side of the 1916 story. Find out about Countess Markievicz the first woman to be elected to Parliament and an active participant in the 1916 uprising as a member of the Irish Citizen Army. She was born across the road from Buckingham Palace.
Saturday 17 March, 2pm
Where The String Broke (Irish Camden Town): From getting the start, going to the dance, finding a doss or just having a drink - Camden Town could claim to be the capital of Irish London.
Discover ball rooms, pubs, churches, hostels and the characters that gave this amazing place its vibrant Irish reputation for so many decades. Lumpers, Impresarios, navvies, writers and musicians populate this fascinating walk. Find out about Margaret Barry, proud member of the Traveller community, Ireland's answer to Edith Piaf singing in the Bedford Arms in Camden Town or the Albert Hall - Bob Dylan's favourite folk singer.
Sunday 18 March, 2pm
The Emerald City: Where better to celebrate Irish heritage and achievement than on the streets of London.
On this stroll down Ludgate Hill, along Fleet Street, into the Temple and finishing in Covent Garden, we will discover some amazing Irish connections and encounter some of the great names of the Irish past. Stopping at pubs, churchyards, statues, courthouses and theatres - Irish London will come to life. Prime Ministers, politicians, press barons, poets, playwrights, revolutionaries and aristocrats will all have their part to play in this amazing story. A fierce craic altogether!
Find out about Peg Woffington the eighteenth-century's Queen of the London stage. From Dublin's back streets to the leading lady of Drury Lane and feted in the salons of Mayfair. Enjoying an elegant retirement sponsoring other Irish talents.
As part of the official London St Patrick’s Day Festival, now in its 16th year, Camden Market will play host to an Irish music trail for the 2nd year running.
Providing the creative canvas and in celebration of the Year of the Woman, on Saturday 17 March, the Market will showcase an all female Irish music trail, continuing its support of emerging talent and international culture. Performances will take place across the Market, ranging from intimate coffee shop venues to pop up open-air stages. The celebrations will conclude with a headline private performance in the Dr Martens Boot Room, for which the limited tickets will be available through prize draw only.
Mac McDermott, Camden Market’s Head of Events, comments: “We’re passionate about supporting emerging talent and are thrilled we can do this as part of the London wide St Patrick’s Festival. As a nod to the Year of the Woman, together with the London Mayor’s office, we’d like to encourage both locals and international visitors to head down and discover the rising female artists of the Irish music scene.”
Curated by Music From Ireland
A St. Patrick’s Day event in all 33 London boroughs
From open-air Irish dance performances in Enfield to music classes in Croydon and children’s art and crafts workshops in Haringey, check for local events in your borough.
In Lewisham, the Irish Community Centre is working in partnership with Lewisham Foodcycle to provide an Irish themed three-course meal with traditional Irish music song and dance. The event will provide a free meal to the local community while sharing and celebrating Irish culture.
Pop up Irish music - through the big festival weekend, Irish musicians and artists will travel right across London to play pop-up performances in special spots. Don’t be surprised to hear some jigs in your local Library or reels in the park as the Irish Pop Up comes to London Town.
As part of the London St Patrick's Festival 2018, we invited performers to showcase Irish creative talent at various Underground stations on Saturday 17 March 2018.
Irish Street Food Market – Trafalgar Square East
Butchies
Buttermilk chicken burgers.
Eat The Farm
Street food company which uses quality fresh ingredients sourced directly from farmers.
Pie Cart
Individual handmade gourmet pies.
Salt beef bros.
Hot salt beef sandwiches served with mustard and traditional pickle.
Clonakilty black pudding
In association with Home Town Rolls who will be providing Clonakilty breakfast baguettes and wraps.
Affiliated events
We are delighted to have a number of exciting and diverse affiliated events as part of this year's Festival.
A novel affair – Irish writers night
In association with London Writers’ Eclective.
Four Irish novelists read from and discuss their work as part of St Patrick’s Festival at the ICC on 15 March. Martina Evans, Paul McVeigh, Alan McMonagle and Aoibheann McCann read from published work and preview soon to be published work, followed by a panel discussion on the novel, the short story, and getting published in 2018 and beyond. Chaired by Conor Montague.
15 March
The Irish Cultural Centre, 5 Black's Road, Hammersmith, W6 9DT
Find out more about A Novel Affair.
Éiríocht
Éiríocht is a radical alternative to traditional celebrations for St. Patrick’s Weekend 2018. With curated performances by Diatribe Records, Ireland's foremost record label for new sounds, the festival features many of the leading figures on Ireland's thriving sonic scene and is a significant opportunity to strengthen cultural interweaving between two neighbouring islands.
16-17 March
Vortex JazzClub, London
An oíche eile
The Irish Jam Presents 'An oíche eile', a night of alternative music on St. Patrick’s Eve performed by a wonderful collection of exciting Irish artists: Delorentos, Pillow Queens, Video Blue and Tayne.
16 March
The Irish Cultural Centre, 5 Black's Road, Hammersmith, W6 9DT
Find out more about An oíche eile
40 Shades of Green 2
“A celebration of Modern Irish culture in London…”
On St Patrick's weekend, we’ll be gathering a selection of the current Irish crop who reside and ply their trade in one of the most culturally diverse capitals in the world. Come join us at 40FT Brewery on Saturday 17 March, where you can experience the best Irish Londoners from the worlds of food, drink and music in the city today.
This Year, our music offering is spearheaded again by Arveene. Who has enlisted the help of Irish Music Blogger Nialler9. They will both be joined by hotly tipped electronic act, Le Boom Live, the infamous Sing-A-Long Social live, LUMO Dj’s and young disco fiends Mix & Fairbanks.
Saturday 17 March
40FT Brewery
Find out more about 40FT Brewery
KILA - St Patrick's Night Show
Irish folk and world music legends KILA come to the Centre for a very special London show on St Patrick's Day as part of a huge programme at the London Irish Centre. Featuring Rossa Ó Snodaigh, Colm Ó Snodaigh, Rónán Ó Snodaigh, Dee Armstrong, Eoin Dillon, Seanán Brennan, Brian Hogan and Dave Hingerty, don't miss this opportunity to see one of Ireland's most innovative bands at the top of their game!
17 March
London Irish Centre, 50-52 Camden Square, London, NW1 9XB
The St Patrick’s Festival Ball
The annual St Patrick’s Festival Ball will be taking place on Saturday 17 March 2018 in the Intercontinental Hotel on Park Lane, London W1J 7QY.
Visit the St Patrick's Festival Ball website.
KÍLA Family Show
For a number of years KILA have been presenting their kids show at in theatre’s throughout Ireland. Always jam packed, this hour long show has the kids interacting with the music from the very start. Frontman Rossa asks them to create an ocean soundscape for the opening melody, and as the show proceeds they’ll clap along, dance along and even do animal and popping noises to the music.
A special part of the show is where they play three pieces from the multi award wining and Oscar-nominated animation Song of the Sea, which they composed music for. Children are entranced to see music being performed live along to this beautifully animated film.
18 March
London Irish Centre, 50-52 Camden Square, London NW1 9XB
The Irish Cultural Centre and the Barbara Stanley Gallery present an evening of film and conversation with Pauline Bewick hosted by Dylan Haskins.
Maurice Galway's 2012 film "Yellow Man Grey Man" examines the hugely successful series of work by Pauline Bewick known as "The Yellow Man". The film will be shown and then followed by an interview with Dylan Haskins and an audience Q&A.
Year in, year out the Yellow Man lives alone. No one comments on the colour of his skin, his nakedness nor his antennae. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t make judgements, is not grasping. Like nature he is just there, simply there.
Bewick will be exhibiting her paintings as part of the St. Patrick's Festival viewing daily from 1-21 March on the 2nd floor of City Hall.
Media accreditation
Photographers, broadcasters and members of the media looking to cover this event need official accreditation from the Mayor of London's Press Office.
Accreditation has now closed. Email [email protected] if you require further information.
Media enquiries
For any other media enquiries, email [email protected].
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