Mayor of London announces capital’s St Patrick’s Day celebrations

• London’s St Patrick’s Day parade and Trafalgar Square celebrations to take place on Sunday 15 March
• Londoners and visitors can look forward to a free, family-friendly day of entertainment celebrating Irish culture in the heart of the capital
• More than 50,000 people expected to join spectacular procession and parade of Irish marching bands, dancers and pageantry led by Grand Marshal Irish writer and broadcaster Emma Dabiri

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today announced that the capital’s St Patrick’s Day celebrations will take place on Sunday 15 March 2026.

The annual celebration through the streets and in Trafalgar Square brings together Londoners and visitors to celebrate the energy, creativity and incredible contributions of the Irish community to the capital.

The day starts at 12pm with the spectacular St Patrick’s Day Parade, which weaves through central London filling the streets with colour and celebration before ending in Trafalgar Square. Led by this year’s Grand Marshal, Irish writer and broadcaster Emma Dabiri, the parade will feature Irish County Associations, community organisations, marching bands, dancers, musicians and carnival performers.

Trafalgar Square is once again at the heart of the celebrations, with a programme of free, family friendly entertainment across the day. The main stage will be hosted by Irish comedian Rachel Galvo, and audiences can enjoy an exciting mix of traditional and contemporary performances from acts including the Irish Culture Centre Choir, Moonlight: The Philip Lynott Enigma, Carrie Baxter, Cór Na nÓg choir, Jig and a Swig with the London Bodhrán Band, The Wran, Nell Mescal, Huartan, David Keenan and The Commitments.

Londoners and visitors can also explore the Irish Creative Collective sessions tent with comedy, spoken word, music, and Irish film and TV shorts; Out in the World exhibition highlighting stories from Ireland’s LGBTQ+ diaspora, Irish language lessons, children’s arts and crafts with Artburst, and the charming Oldbog Cottage experience.

Celebrity chef Anna Haugh returns with The Wee Sister restaurant pop-up in the Square serving Irish dishes, and there will also be a range of stalls offering food, crafts and cultural delights.

London has the largest Irish community in the UK and the Mayor’s annual St Patrick’s Festival is the ideal opportunity to celebrate the enduring friendship between the capital and Ireland.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “London’s St Patrick’s Festival is one of the highlights of our capital’s cultural calendar and I’m delighted to welcome everyone back to Trafalgar Square on Sunday 15 March. It’s a chance for Londoners and visitors to celebrate Irish culture and to say thank you for the incredible contribution Irish Londoners have made, and continue to make, to our capital. As we build a better, fairer London for everyone, I’m proud that we can bring communities together for what promises to be our most joyful celebration yet. Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Daoibh!”

His Excellency Martin Fraser, Ambassador of Ireland to Great Britain, said: “Once again, the Embassy of Ireland is delighted to support and be part of the 2026 St Patrick’s Day parade in London. St Patrick’s Day in London is a magical moment each year, bringing together not only our Irish community but all friends of Ireland here in Britain, and people from around the world who feel a connection to Ireland. This year we are lucky to be led by our fantastic grand marshal Emma Dabiri, an esteemed Irish writer, broadcaster and academic, and to be joined by Tánaiste Simon Harris. I want to express my gratitude to all involved for their creativity, talent and hard work, and to the people of London who always give the event such a warm reception. I also want to express my sincere thanks to Mayor Sadiq Khan and his team for their continued support for the parade and the strong friendship between Ireland and Britain. Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh go léir!”

Grand Marshal, Emma Dabiri, said: “I’m so thrilled and it’s such an honour to be invited to be the Grand Marshal of The St Patrick’s Day Parade, especially as it’s the London one! I am so proud of being Irish, and my Irishness remains my anchor and North Star wherever I am in the world. I have lived in the UK for many years now and have such a special relationship with London, but nonetheless while you can take the girl out of Dublin, you can never take Dublin out of the girl!”

Adam Rooney and Eoin O’Reilly, from programme partner Head the Ball events, said: “We’re delighted to work alongside the Mayor of London’s office to deliver this year’s programme for the St Patrick’s Day Festival. It’s been an immense privilege to work on this event and provide a platform for just some of the amazing community groups and Irish talent based in London. We’re really looking forward to seeing everyone in Trafalgar Square on the 15th of March to celebrate the amazing London Irish community.”

Ger Hayes, Managing Director of Sisk Construction UK, the event's title partner, said: “As an Irish business with deep roots in London since the 1980s, staying connected to the London Irish community is hugely important to us. Our long-standing commitment to local engagement includes extensive voluntary grass roots work and a strong relationship with the Kilburn Irish Pensioners Group in Brent, which we are honoured to support. Over the past four decades, we have delivered close to 500 construction projects across the capital, leaving our mark on this great city. Today, we are proud to be constructing the new Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Cancer Centre another great example of our continued dedication to building places for future generations. We are delighted to support this important cultural festival once again and we would like to wish everyone a Happy St Patrick’s Day!”

Chef Anna Haugh said: “The beauty of culture is that it always evolves but retains the heartbeat of your ancestors and the St Patrick’s Day parade in London at Trafalgar Square is a great representation of that.”