The centre of this year’s 5 day festival the St. Patrick’s Festival Kilkenny Parade will take place on March 17th at 1.30pm through the streets of Kilkenny. After hosting our biggest Parade ever in 2022, we are excited to once again weave our way through Kilkenny’s medieval streets in 2023.
Lead out by out 2023 Grand Marshal local celebrity chef Edward Hayden, this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be centered around the theme Legends and Stories. Drawing from the past, the present and the future, the participants in the Parade will tap into the stories that are most important to them.
Storytelling is a core part of Irish culture and heritage. From Celtic myths and legends, to great Irish writers, the stories we tell through songs and the tales we still tell with friends.
Rich in history Kilkenny has many stories all of its own. Throughout the Parade local groups and performers will tell their own stories, literal, imagined and legendary.
The central pageant of the Parade will bring the fantastic history of the circus to you. Travel back 250 years and across to the world to the arrival of first circus in Ireland in 1773. From the first circus juggling acts to come to these shores, to the arrival of fantastical beasts from lands far away, to today’s astounding acrobats, experience the history of this magical art through the centuries. International performers from Brazil, Germany and Chile will join local groups from Ukraine to bring this worldwide wonder to life. Then run away to the circus and learn to juggle, spin plates and do acrobatic tricks yourself.
The 2023 Parade route will go from John Street, to Rose Inn Street, The Parade (Review stand), High Street, and finish at the Market Yard. Line the streets and enjoy the pageantry, music and spectacle.
Before and after the Parade the streets of Kilkenny will be full of lively entertainment and activity with live music performances on the Festival Stage, food and crafts at the Festival Market, Street Entertainment and interactive shows for all the family, and carnival rides. While in Kilkenny Castle Park you can run off and join the circus, travel back in time with the Vikings and enjoy music and dance throughout the day.
Make a day of it, or better still make a couple days of it as the Festival runs from the 15th – 19th March 2023. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with us and enjoy the best of Ireland and Kilkenny!
Parade participation is open to community groups, sports teams, schools and organisations. Groups are asked to put their imaginations to work to create an entry for the Parade. The application form for groups taking part is available at https://stpatricksfestivalkilkenny.com/parade-application-form-2023/
