Dublin's St Patrick's Festival is the country's largest annual event, with several days of street theatre, fireworks, music, dance, a treasure hunt and visual art exhibitions. The main event is the St Patrick's Festival Parade, which starts in Parnell Square.

More than 1.5 million people party to a Celtic beat in the Irish capital, 120,000 of them visitors. The Festival Parade, on 17 March, snakes its way down O'Connell Street and through the city centre for three hours. Expect Irish and international bands, street performers and pageants - if you want to watch from the shelter of a grandstand, you can book online at the festival website.

Other regular annual events include the Festival Ceilidh in St Stephen's Green, the Literary Treasure Hunt and the Big Day Out, a free family event in the heart of Dublin with street theatre, performance and music. Also look out for walks, talks, art exhibitions and installations in surprising places around the city, from shop windows to shopping centres.

For more information and updates, please visit the event website.

Related Information

Website: St Patrick's Festival Website