London's Irish community have always celebrated St Patrick's Day in the traditional manner, with church services, music, dancing and plenty of Guinness and whisky. In recent years, the capital has also hosted a major weekend celebration - an event that has now grown so big that it rivals the parades in New York and Chicago. London's parade has floats from every Irish county, with hundreds of stalls along the route. There's also a stage in Trafalgar Square with live performances, and a big ceilidh in Leicester Square where everyone can join in with the arms-by-the-sides Riverdance fun. An Irish food market in Covent Garden sells the country's famous beef, salmon and soda bread, accompanied by live acoustic music, and there are dozens of other events throughout the capital. Of course, the best places to celebrate are the pubs and Catholic churches throughout London, with their mix of religion, music and good cheer. Keep an eye on where the real London Irish go after the parade and you could be in for a memorable evening.
![[LondonTown.com Header Image (Thames Scene)]](/LTtemplates/template_images/londontown.upper.logoheader.thamesscene-cc.jpg)
London's Irish community have always celebrated St Patrick's Day in the traditional manner, with church services, music, dancing and plenty of Guinness and whisky. In recent years, the capital has also hosted a major weekend celebration - an event that has now grown so big that it rivals the parades in New York and Chicago. London's parade has floats from every Irish county, with hundreds of stalls along the route. There's also a stage in Trafalgar Square with live performances, and a big ceilidh in Leicester Square where everyone can join in with the arms-by-the-sides Riverdance fun. An Irish food market in Covent Garden sells the country's famous beef, salmon and soda bread, accompanied by live acoustic music, and there are dozens of other events throughout the capital. Of course, the best places to celebrate are the pubs and Catholic churches throughout London, with their mix of religion, music and good cheer. Keep an eye on where the real London Irish go after the parade and you could be in for a memorable evening.