In this guide
💡 The Short Version: St Patrick’s Festival 2027 runs from Saturday 13 to Wednesday 17 March. The parade is on Wednesday 17 March, starts at 12:00 from Parnell Square, runs 3.2 km down O’Connell Street to the Cuffe Street and Kevin Street junction, and is free. Covered grandstand seats are €143.50 to €253.50, on sale since 28 September 2026. Roads in the centre close from early morning to late afternoon, and the festival publishes the list nearer the date. MoLI closes on 17 March. Book a room early: the festival opens on a Saturday. Or book a walk: the Dublin: Highlights and Hidden Gems Walking Tourad is from €24 for 2 hours.
⚠️ The parade is free to watch, and the roads close. Standing places along the route need no ticket, and the festival closes city-centre roads from early on the morning of the parade until late afternoon.
The dates
| Day | Date | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday | 13 March | The festival opens, with the Dublin City Council Treasure Hunt and the Festival Funfair on Custom House Quay, which runs to 17 March |
| Saturday to Tuesday | 13 to 16 March | Street performances, workshops and the St Patrick’s Festival After Dark programme |
| Wednesday | 17 March | The parade at 12:00 and the Céilí Mór on Merrion Square West |
Most events are free and need no ticket. Some are free with a sign-up in advance, and “a small minority” charge a small fee. The organiser publishes the full schedule in January 2027 at stpatricksfestival.ie.
The parade
The parade begins at 12:00 on Wednesday 17 March at Parnell Square, in the north of the city. It runs down O’Connell Street, over O’Connell Bridge and through the south side, and ends at the Cuffe Street and Kevin Street junction. The route is 3.2 km. More than 3,000 people take part, with floats from parade companies across Ireland and marching bands from abroad, and the festival expects an estimated 500,000 spectators. It takes about two hours to pass.
A marching band on the parade route. Photo: William Murphy, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
The festival recommends arriving early. It says to bring refreshments, wear comfortable footwear and check the forecast, and that the parade is large and loud, so ear defenders help anyone with sensory needs. Roads in the city centre close from early in the morning until late afternoon, and the 2027 list is published closer to the date (Your Visit).
Costumed performers on the parade route. Photo: William Murphy, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Grandstands
Covered, tiered, allocated seats at six sites, with a host giving commentary. The prices include the booking fee, and the tickets are sold through the festival’s own site (grandstand tickets).
| Grandstand | Price |
|---|---|
| Parnell Square, at the start of the route | €143.50 |
| St Patrick’s Cathedral | €143.50 |
| Westmoreland Street | €153.50 |
| Christchurch, outside the Leonardo Hotel | €153.50 |
| O’Connell Bridge | €173.50 |
| Emerald Circle, O’Connell Street, outside the GPO | €253.50 |
| Westmoreland Street hospitality package: grandstand, lunch and live music at The College Green Hotel | €293.50 |
The festival says the Emerald Circle seats are at the ceremonial opening of the parade.
Access
There are three wheelchair-accessible viewing areas and a Relaxed Parade Space for neurodivergent families and people with sensory processing differences. Applications for both open in mid-January 2027. The Accessoloo, with a hoist and changing bench, is parked on D’Olier Street at the Fleet Street junction.
What is shut on 17 March
17 March is a public holiday in Ireland. From the operators’ pages:
- MoLI, the Museum of Literature Ireland: closed on 17 March.
- The GPO Museum: closed on public holidays, which includes 17 March: see the 1916 Rising in Dublin.
- Marsh’s Library: closed on bank holidays.
Check the sight’s own page for the day before you plan around it. The sights are in what to book before you go to Dublin.
The weather and the light
March’s mean daily high at Dublin Airport is 10.1°C and its mean low 3.0°C, with 51.4 mm of rain on 10.7 days and 3.7 hours of sunshine a day (Met Éireann, 1991 to 2020). On 17 March the sun rises at about 06:37 and sets at about 18:30. The clocks go forward on Sunday 28 March. The other months are in the best time to visit Dublin.
Getting there
Dublin’s main stations for long-distance trains are Connolly, Heuston and Pearse, according to the festival. Dublin Express and Aircoach run from the airport: see Dublin airport to the city. The Leap card and the fares are in Dublin public transport.
Where to stay
The links go to the hotel on Hotels.com. Book early, because the festival is the busiest week for the hotels near the route. Where to stay in Dublin compares the areas.
The College Green Hotel, Autograph Collection
35-39 Westmoreland Street · 163 rooms · Michelin Selected · Hotels.comad
On the route, opposite Trinity College, and the host of the festival’s Westmoreland Street hospitality package. It was known as The Westin Dublin.
Leonardo Hotel Dublin Christchurch
8 Christchurch Place · 182 rooms · Hotels.comad
The Christchurch grandstands stand outside the hotel, and it is opposite Christ Church Cathedral.
Maldron Hotel Parnell Square
Parnell Square · Hotels.comad
Three minutes’ walk from O’Connell Street, near the start of the route, with the Luas a two-minute walk away and Croke Park within walking distance, according to the hotel.
Next
The festival follows Dublin on New Year’s Eve 2026 and Dublin Christmas markets 2026 in the calendar. 3 days in Dublin fits the sights round the closed days, and Temple Bar covers the pubs, where a pint costs more on the day: drinkers there on St Patrick’s Day 2025 paid up to €10.45.
Common questions
When is St Patrick's Festival in 2027?
From Saturday 13 to Wednesday 17 March 2027. St Patrick's Day is Wednesday 17 March, and the parade begins at 12:00. The festival's full events schedule is published in January 2027.
Is the St Patrick's Day parade in Dublin free?
Yes. You do not need a ticket, and there are standing places along the whole route. Covered, tiered, allocated grandstand seats are sold separately, from €143.50 to €253.50 including the booking fee.
What is the route of the Dublin parade?
It starts at Parnell Square in the north of the city, runs down O'Connell Street, crosses O'Connell Bridge and goes through the south side, ending at the Cuffe Street and Kevin Street junction. The route is 3.2 km, and the parade takes about two hours to pass.
How much are the St Patrick's Day grandstand tickets?
Parnell Square and St Patrick's Cathedral are €143.50, Westmoreland Street and Christchurch €153.50, O'Connell Bridge €173.50 and the Emerald Circle outside the GPO €253.50. The Westmoreland Street hospitality package, with a buffet lunch and live music at The College Green Hotel, is €293.50.
What is closed in Dublin on St Patrick's Day?
MoLI, the Museum of Literature Ireland, closes on 17 March. The GPO Museum and Marsh's Library are closed on public holidays, and 17 March is one. The festival closes roads in the city centre from early morning until late afternoon, and publishes the list closer to the date.
How many people watch the Dublin parade?
The festival expects an estimated 500,000 people, and more than 3,000 take part, including marching bands from abroad. It recommends refreshments, comfortable footwear and, for anyone sensitive to noise, ear defenders.
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