The St Patrick’s Day parade is set to return to Manchester this weekend complete with music and dancing through the city’s streets. This year’s edition of the city’s now legendary Irish Parade – which first took place over 35 years ago – has once again been organised by Manchester’s Irish World Heritage Centre.
The annual parade is expected to attract thousands of people into the city centre, with its promise of live (and loud!) Irish music played by marching, pipe, and accordion bands, who will be performing alongside some troupes of traditional Irish dancers of all ages. Plus, you can expect toe-tapping live Irish music performances, and food and drink aplenty throughout the weekend in the Irish Festival Village in St Ann’s Square.
When and where will the St Patrick’s Day parade take place in Manchester?
The parade will start at midday on Sunday 15th March from the Irish World Heritage Centre itself in Cheetham Hill, and travel along Cheetham Hill Road heading towards the AO Arena. It will then turn right onto Trinity Way, left onto Great Ducie Street, continuing onto Chapel Street, then left onto Victoria Bridge Street, and right onto Deansgate, before ending at the junction of Deansgate and King Street.
It’s anticipated that the parade will last an hour from its start in Cheetham Hill to its finish on Deansgate.
St Patrick’s Day celebrations in Manchester
As well as a full calendar of events at Irish bars and other venues right across the city, the run-up to St Patrick’s Day next Tuesday (March 17) also sees the return of the Irish Festival Village to St Ann’s Square. From this Thursday 12th March to closing time on St Patrick’s Day, expect back-to-back live music every day, plus Irish-themed food and drink and an unbeatable craic.
“With one of Europe’s oldest and best St Patrick’s Day parades here on our doorstep, you won’t want to miss it”
Councillor Pat Karney, city centre spokesperson and Chair of the Irish Festival, and himself born in Dublin before coming to live in Manchester as a child, said: “We have a really big community of Irish people living here in our city and although I’ve lived in Manchester since I was a boy I still proudly count myself amongst them.
“The city has a long history of welcoming Irish people in and taking them to their hearts and I’ll be forever grateful for the welcome Manchester showed me when I first arrived here as a child. At the same time, I’m also really proud of the many contributions Irish people have made to this amazing city of ours.
“St Patrick’s Day is a really big date in the calendar for Irish people everywhere and getting together with family, friends and others to celebrate and mark the day is really important to us. With one of Europe’s oldest and best St Patrick’s Day parades here on our doorstep, you won’t want to miss it – so come on down on Sunday and join in the craic!”
Road closures and parking suspensions for St Patrick’s Day parade
In order to ensure the St Patrick’s parade walking route is safe for all participants, a number of temporary road closures and parking bay suspensions will be in place on Sunday 15th March.
Road closures
9am to 11 am:
- Queens Road (Boyle Street to Smedley Lane)
11 am – 1 pm:
- Queens Road (Cheetham Hill Road to Smedley Lane)
11 am – 3 pm:
- Cheetham Hill Road (Queens Road to New Bridge Street)
- Cheetham Hill Road (New Bridge Street to Victoria Street)
- Victoria Street (New Bridge Street to Deansgate)
- Chapel Street (Victoria Street to Victoria Bridge Street)
- Victoria Bridge Street (Chapel Street to Deansgate)
- Cateaton Street (Hanging Ditch to Deansgate)
- Deansgate (Victoria Street to Peter Street)
- John Dalton Street (Deansgate to Princess Street)
- Princess Street (John Dalton Street to George Street)
- South King Street (Deansgate to Cross Street)
- St James Square (South King Street to John Dalton Street)
- King Street (Essex Street to Deansgate)
- St Mary’s Gate (Deansgate to Cross Street)
Parking bay suspensions
March 16 from 12.01am to 4pm
- Cateaton Street – Fennel Street to Deansgate
- Deansgate – Victoria Street to Peter Street
- Cross Street – King Street to Market Street
- St Mary’s Gate – Market Street to Deansgate
- St Anns Street – Cross Street to Deansgate
- St Mary Street – Deansgate
- King Street West – Deansgate
- Queen Street – Deansgate to end
- South King Street – Cross Street to Deansgate
- John Dalton Street – Princess Street to Deansgate
- St James Square – South King Street to John Dalton Street
- St Mary’s Gate – Deansgate to Cross Street
