Dublin’s St Patrick’s Festival 2023 is bigger and better than ever! Events will take place across the capital, from March 16th to 19th 2023 to celebrate.
With family fun and community spirit at the heart of every St Patrick’s Festival, the festival quarter returns to the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks from March 16th to 18th. This magical place offers a day to night urban festival with a mini fun fair, music, dance, storytelling, food drink and everything in between!
The main parade this year has the theme Mar a Chéile Sinn (We are One) and celebrates the values of community, diversity, youth and sustainability and aims to wow spectators with a breathtaking showcase of talent from around Ireland and further afield. It winds through the city centre on Friday March 17th from 12pm to 2pm.
Read on to discover some of the amazing family friendly events taking place over this 4 day celebration of Irish arts, culture and heritage.
St Patrick’s Festival 2023
Festival Quarter
Dates: March 16th to 18th 2023 (see below for times)
Location: National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, Dublin 7
The Festival Quarter is back for St Patrick’s Festival 2023! Enjoy three wonderful days and nights, of family friendly events from theatre to live shows and giant games to a food and craft village.
Hosted in the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks from March 16th to 18th, Festival Quarter will be open from 12pm to 6.00pm on March 17th & 12pm to 5pm on March 18th for FREE family events and from 6.30pm to 10.30pm for ticketed, adult only live music, theatre and dance events on March 16th, 17th & 18th.
You are invited to come along with friends and family and immerse yourself in the many activities taking place. You can also enjoy connecting and relaxing in the Irish Food & Craft Village, where you can feast on diverse Irish cooking from some of Ireland’s best food trucks while you listen to sweet sounds from the Festival Quarter Bandstand.
Disney Cinema Yurt
Date: March 17th & 18th
Location: Festival Quarter, Collins Barracks
Get lost in the imaginary world of the Disney Cinema Yurt when you visit the Festival Quarter. Free for all, you are sure to find something that everyone in the family will enjoy.
Mark The Science Guy
Dates: March 17th and 18th
Location: Spiegeltent Mór @ Festival Quarter, Collins Barracks
Expect whizzes, pops, booms and plenty of laughter when Mark the Science Guy hosts a fun-filled, energetic display of his favourite science experiments for the whole family to enjoy!
Guido Fanzini’s Thunderous Entertainment Haberdashery
Dates: March 17th & 18th
Location: Spiegeltent Mór @ Festival Quarter
Fanzini Productions presents Guido Fanzini and his Thunderous Entertainment Haberdashery, a 40 minute comedy circus show of pure fun, death defying stunts and general comic carry on!
Suitable for all ages, this is a free show but is seated and seats are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
The Big Day After
Date: March 18th from 12.30pm
Location: The Festival Quarter, National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks
On Saturday 18th March there will be a packed programme of free family events for everyone to enjoy after the spectacle of the parade on the 17th.
There will be live music, circus and street performers, storytelling, film, and lots more to keep all ages entertained.
Actual Reality Arcade
Dates: March 17th & 18th from 12pm daily
Location: SPF Óg @ Festival Quarter, Collins Barracks
Challenge friends and family to a play off in the Actual Reality Arcade. It features 10 giant classic retro games including, an IRL Donkey Kong style challenge and a huge scale Whack a Mole, featuring a brave volunteer! Fun and laughs are guaranteed for both participants and the audience!
City Fun Fair
Dates: March 16th to 19th
Location: Custom House Quay, Dublin City Centre
The city funfair is back for 2023. Watch the city light up and enjoy everything from waltzers to bumper cars and fast moving rides to ones that lift you high above the Liffey!
The St Patrick’s Day Parade
Date: March 17th from 12pm
Location: The Parade begins on Parnell Square and ends at St Stephen’s Green
The St Patrick’s Day Parade will wind through the streets of Dublin, hundreds of participants will entertain the crowds with music, art, theatre, dance and much more.
The theme for St Patrick’s Festival 2023 is Mar a Chéile Sinn (we are one) celebrating community, diversity, youth and sustainability and these will be reflected by the spectacular line up. So pick your spot along the route and be prepared to be entertained.
You can also get a bird’s eye view of all the action by booking a Grandstand ticket.
One City
Dates: March 16th to 18th
Location: Various locations throughout Dublin
One City brings live events and activities throughout Dublin over the period of the Festival. Enjoy everything from art exhibitions to yoga classes, orchestral performances to brand new theatre pieces, walking tours to skiff racing.
About the Author: Michelle
