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Things to Do in Dublin for St. Patrick’s Festival

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For many visitors, attending the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Dublin is a bucket list experience. The St. Patrick’s Festival transforms Dublin into a city alive with music, colour and storytelling leading up to St. Patrick’s Day on Tuesday 17th March 2026, with the parade on the day itself and celebrations throughout the month.

Use our guide to plan a visit that blends the spirit of the St. Patrick’s Festival with meaningful cultural experiences.

Located in the heart of the city, and just steps from the St. Patrick’s Day parade route, Trinity College Dublin is an ideal base for history and culture to centre your plans around.

What to Do in Dublin on St. Patrick’s Day 2026

Experience the St. Patrick’s Day Parade

The St. Patrick’s Day parade usually sets off around 12pm on the 17th March, making its way through the city centre with marching bands, entertainers, musicians and performers. While the exact route is still to be confirmed, it usually passes close to Trinity College Dublin, making the surrounding area the ideal place to watch the parade.

Arrive early, pick a spot with a good view, and prepare for the celebrations.

Along with the parade, St. Patrick’s Festival events bring the city alive with street theatre, performances and live music across the squares and green spaces. Aside from the main route, strolling through College Green, Temple Bar and the Docklands can lead to unexpected festival entertainment.

After the parade, visitors can book a lunch nearby to sample some traditional Irish food and drink, or make their way to Trinity College Dublin for a Trinity Trails guided walking tour (the official tour of the historic campus) before joining the evening festivities.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade Tips

1. Arrive at least an hour early to find a good viewing spot
   
2. Dress in layers – March weather is changeable and can move between sunny and mild, to rain showers
   
3. Expect busier than usual public transport
   
4. Avoid the main route after the parade as it will be crowded

How Dublin Celebrates St. Patrick’s Festival

St. Patrick’s Festival is far more than the parade. It’s a celebration of Irish arts, heritage and community spirit run over a number of days across Dublin City. You’ll find theatre, storytelling, music, dance and occasional surprises on Dublin’s historic squares, streets and green spaces.

The official St. Patrick’s Festival programme will be announced in January 2026.

Don’t Miss Trinity College Dublin During St. Patrick’s Weekend

For visitors looking for other things to do amid the festival energy, the Book of Kells Experience is not one to miss. In the Old Library and Red Pavilion at Trinity College Dublin, this experience brings you face to face with one of Ireland’s greatest treasures, the Book of Kells.

The Book of Kells, Snakes and St. Patrick

The St. Patrick’s Day Festival is about stories, and few stories are as enduring as that of St. Patrick and the snakes. Legend says he banished them from Ireland, driving them into the sea, yet snakes were unlikely to have ever lived in Ireland due to its cool temperatures. Despite this, snake imagery and symbolism exists throughout Irish art and mythology.

Look closely at the illuminated pages of the Book of Kells, created in 800AD, and you’ll find snakes curling through intricate designs. These are symbols of transformation, eternity and imagination.

The Chi Ro page, folio 34r, is one of the most elaborate pages in the Book of Kells. There are a range of snakes knotted between its illustrations. The closer you look, the more snakes you will see.

Join Trinity Trails: The Official Guided Walking Tour of Trinity Through 400 Years of Stories

Trinity Trails Walking Tour offers a different pace through Ireland’s ancient university, and a connection to Dublin’s historic past. Led by expert student guides, this 45 minute walking tour explores Trinity College Dublin’s spectacular cobbled squares, elegant architecture and some of its famous alumni and literary greats who shaped Irish history.

It’s especially well suited to visitors seeking beautiful settings for photography and stories that bring the historic campus to life.

A morning Trinity Trails tour pairs perfectly with an afternoon of festival events.

Book a Trinity Trails tour to secure your spot, or combine your ticket with a visit to the Book of Kells for the full experience.

Take the quiz: St. Patrick and the Snakes

A 2 or 3 Day St. Patrick’s Festival Itinerary for visitors

Day 1: Arrival & Cultural Icons

• Explore Grafton Street and St Stephen’s Green
  
• Visit the Book of Kells Experience – booking in advance is recommended
  
• Enjoy evening festival events or a relaxed dinner of Irish food and drink

Day 2: Heritage & Highlights

• Morning Trinity Trails walking tour
  
• Afternoon visit to the EPIC museum or Guinness Storehouse
  
• Evening music or theatre as part of the St Patrick’s Festival programme

Day 3, 17th March: Parade Day

• Secure your viewing spot near Trinity College Dublin
  
• Enjoy the parade travelling through the streets of Dublin
  
• Take home a memory of your trip and check out Trinity Gift Shop’s Irish Design Collection
  
• Evening walk around the Grafton Street area, dinner, and closing festival events