St Patrick's Festival Dublin
Dublin's five-day St Patrick's Festival, built around the 17 March parade: free standing spots, the six grandstands and their prices, road closures and where to sleep.
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St Patrick's Festival Dublin in short
St Patrick's Festival runs from 13 to 17 March 2027 in Dublin. The parade is on Wednesday 17 March at noon, covers 3.2 km from Parnell Square to the Cuffe Street and Kevin Street junction, and takes about two hours to pass. Watching from the street is free; covered grandstand seats cost €143.50 to €253.50. City-center roads close from early morning until late afternoon.
What happens when
- Sat 13 Mar
- Festival opens with the Dublin City Council Treasure Hunt.
- 13–16 Mar
- Street performances, workshops and the After Dark programme across the city. The Festival Funfair runs on Custom House Quay from 13 to 17 March.
- Wed 17 Mar, noon
- The parade leaves Parnell Square and passes O'Connell Street and O'Connell Bridge to the Cuffe Street and Kevin Street junction.
- Wed 17 Mar
- The Céilí Mór takes place on Merrion Square West.
Where to watch the parade
- Free
Standing spots on the route
Standing points line the 3.2 km route and cost nothing. The crowd is estimated at 500,000.
Free
- The start
Parnell Square grandstand
Covered, tiered seats at the start, overlooking the Garden of Remembrance.
€143.50
- The opening
Emerald Circle, O'Connell Street
The dearest grandstand, next to the GPO and near the ceremonial opening.
€253.50
- Near Temple Bar
Westmoreland Street
A grandstand close to Temple Bar, with a hospitality package that adds a buffet lunch.
€153.50; hospitality €293.50
- The finish end
St Patrick's Cathedral
A grandstand beside the cathedral, near the end of the route.
€143.50
The St Patrick's Festival Dublin guide
The five days
St Patrick's Festival runs from Saturday 13 to Wednesday 17 March 2027 at venues across Dublin city centre. The parade on the 17th is what most visitors plan around. The full events schedule for the rest of the festival is published in January 2027, so only the outline is fixed now.
Most festival events are free and need no ticket. Some free events require advance sign-up, and a small number carry a small charge; each event page on stpatricksfestival.ie says which. What is set already: the Dublin City Council Treasure Hunt on Saturday 13 March, street performances, workshops and the After Dark programme from the 13th to the 16th, and the Festival Funfair on Custom House Quay from the 13th to the 17th. On the 17th, the Céilí Mór takes place on Merrion Square West.
Watching the parade
The parade starts at noon on Wednesday 17 March. It begins at Parnell Square in the north of the city, runs down O'Connell Street, crosses O'Connell Bridge and ends at the junction of Cuffe Street and Kevin Street. The route is 3.2 km and the parade takes about two hours to pass. The festival estimates a crowd of 500,000.
Standing spots on the route
Standing points line the route and cost nothing. The festival says you can find your own spot. Where along 3.2 km you stand is your call; the grandstand locations below show the organizers' main viewing points: the start, O'Connell Street, O'Connell Bridge, Westmoreland Street, Christchurch and St Patrick's Cathedral.
Plan your journey in advance, as the festival advises.
Grandstands
Covered, tiered, allocated grandstand seating is sold at six places along the route, and each grandstand has hosts who give live commentary. Tickets went on sale on 28 September 2026 through the festival's Ticketsolve pages. The prices below include the booking fee and were listed on 14 October 2026.
Parnell Square
The grandstand at the start of the route overlooks the Garden of Remembrance. At €143.50 it is joint cheapest, with the St Patrick's Cathedral grandstand.
Emerald Circle, O'Connell Street
The dearest seat is on O'Connell Street next to the GPO, near the ceremonial opening of the parade.
The other grandstands are at O'Connell Bridge (€173.50), Westmoreland Street (€153.50, close to Temple Bar), Christchurch (€153.50, outside the Leonardo Hotel, overlooking Christchurch Cathedral) and beside St Patrick's Cathedral (€143.50). A Westmoreland Street hospitality package at €293.50 adds a buffet lunch and live Irish traditional music at The College Green Hotel after the parade.
- Covered and allocated, so no standing for two hours
- Live commentary from the grandstand hosts
- Six locations, from €143.50 to €253.50
Getting there
Dublin Airport has direct flights from many UK and continental European cities, several North American hubs, and Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Irish Ferries runs Dublin to Holyhead, Rosslare to Pembroke and Dublin to Cherbourg. Intercity trains from other counties and Northern Ireland arrive at Connolly, Heuston or Pearse station in central Dublin.
The festival's three wheelchair viewing areas are on O'Connell Street, Westmoreland Street and at St Patrick's Cathedral, and a Relaxed Parade Space run with AsIAm gives neurodivergent visitors seating, a sensory space and private break areas. Applications for both open in mid-January 2027.
Where to sleep
The route runs through the center, so the question is which side of the closures you want to be on. A room on or near O'Connell Street puts you at the parade without a journey, but its roads close from early morning. A room near Connolly, Heuston or Pearse station suits arrivals by intercity train. South of the river, the route ends at the Cuffe Street and Kevin Street junction.
- Four-star stay with a 9.2/10 guest score
- 983 guest reviews
- 1.4 km from the festival area centre
Where to stay for St Patrick's Festival Dublin
Tours and tickets
Partner options we would book ourselves.
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Updated 06:20 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
St Patrick's Festival Dublin FAQ
When is St Patrick's Festival 2027?
From Saturday 13 to Wednesday 17 March 2027. The parade is on the 17th at noon. The festival publishes the full events schedule in January 2027.
Is the St Patrick's Day parade free?
Yes. Watching from the street needs no ticket, and standing points line the route. Covered, tiered grandstand seating is ticketed, at €143.50 to €253.50 including the booking fee, and went on sale on 28 September 2026.
What is the parade route?
It starts at Parnell Square in the north of the city, runs down O'Connell Street and over O'Connell Bridge, and finishes at the junction of Cuffe Street and Kevin Street. The route is 3.2 km and the parade takes about two hours to pass.
Do roads close?
Yes. City-center roads close for the parade from early morning until late afternoon. The festival publishes detailed closures closer to the date.
What access is there for wheelchair users?
There are three wheelchair viewing areas, on O'Connell Street, Westmoreland Street and at St Patrick's Cathedral, and a Relaxed Parade Space run with AsIAm. Applications for both open in mid-January 2027.
How do I get to Dublin?
Dublin Airport has direct flights from many UK, European, North American and Gulf cities. Irish Ferries sails from Holyhead, Pembroke and Cherbourg, and intercity trains arrive at Connolly, Heuston or Pearse.