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The official London celebrations for St Patrick's Day always take place the weekend before the day itself, and are - you'll be amazed to learn - enjoyed with particular enthusiasm by London's large populations of Australians, South Africans and students.
 The Parade 16th March 2008 The gargantuan parade starts at Park Lane, heads down Piccadilly, Regent Street and Pall Mall to Trafalgar Square, before its final flourish down Whitehall. With over 4000 performers and floats from every county in Ireland this procession is an enormous, raucous explosion of (mainly green) colour. Not to mention the hordes of eager spectators cheering on, and dancing to, the rhythms of the marching bands. The vast crowds that gather to watch the event (over 100,000 last year) are a mix of Irish and Londoners of all colours and creeds. Venue: Parade begins at Hyde Park Corner and ends on Whitehall. Stages at Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square and Covent Garden. Phone: 020 7983 4000 Date: 16th March 2008 Time: Parade begins at midday | Music from midday-6pm Price: Free Nearest Station: Hyde Park Corner Tube St Patrick's Day Parade - Information   The Festival16th March 2008 This year the main stage in Trafalgar Square has performances from Luka Bloom, Aslan and the wonderful Roisin Murphy all accompanied by traditional food and booze from a temporary Irish cafe. If you’d like to see some traditional ceilidh dancing, head up the road to Leicester Square where you can watch a performance or even take part in a workshop. The children's area is also here, with face-painting and wandering performers, while up the road at the Prince Charles Cinema, there's a free program of Irish cinema. Covent Garden hosts the food market where London’s gourmands can taste and buy a range of farmhouse cheeses, smoked fish, beef and jams. Venue: Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden and Leicester Square Phone: 020 7983 4000 Date: 16th March 2008 Time: Music from midday-6pm Price: Free Nearest Station: Hyde Park Corner Tube Leicester Square - Information  Did you know?If you walk a little way down the Strand from Trafalgar Square you'll come across the Savoy Theatre. In 1931 this theatre put on the first ever performance of Irish playwright Oscar Wilde's 'Salome', 35 years after it was banned for its scandalous use of biblical imagery. |
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