Get ready for the biggest festival weekend in Kilkenny with St. Patrick’s Festival Kilkenny. Taking place right across the bank holiday weekend, the city comes to life with music,
dance, amusements, cultural tours, American marching bands, circus performers – we could go on! The theme of this year’s festival is ‘Bí Beo, Bí Linn’ (Be Alive, Be with Us)
Friday 14th March
Start your bank holiday weekend in Kilkenny with a whole host of family-friendly activities
taking place around the city from Friday. Make some noise at the Rhythm Makers drumming
workshop, get in the festival spirit at the Festival Funfair on The Parade and learn a
cúpla focal for Seachtain na Gaeilge at the festival’s Pop-Up Gaeltacht.
Saturday 15th March
The highly-anticipated American Marching Band performances get the party started in
the Marble City from Saturday. Come see their energetic performances in a variety of
beautiful locations around the city. End the exciting day with a mesmerising fire show
from festival favourites, Pyro Collective.
Sunday 16th March
Clear your schedule for not one, not two but five American marching band performances on
Sunday. Catch the marching bands meandering the Medieval streets of Kilkenny. Then have
your tickets at the ready for a spectacular fireworks show at Kilkenny Castle Park to get you
ready for the big day!
Monday 17th March
St. Patrick’s Day in Kilkenny is simply unmissable! Hit the ground running early with
festivities taking place across the city from 10am with historical tours, street entertainment,
the festival market and live music. Make sure to get a good spot along the parade route to
watch the pipe band and Grand Marshals get proceedings underway from 1:30pm.
Glenmore native and Olympic cyclist Mia Griffin joins us as this year’s Grand Marshal after a
busy year representing Ireland at the Paris Olympics and becoming the first Irish winner of
Rás na mBan in over a decade in her home county.
For the first time ever, we will also welcome a Junior Grand Marshal for the St. Patrick’s Day parade and Enya Cox Dempsey will take on the inaugural role. The 14-year-old from Castlecomer represented Ireland at last year’s Junior Eurovision, making it all the way to the final with her song ‘Le Chéile’.
Our Grand Marshals will open what promises to be a parade full of colourful pageantry,
culture and entertainment. But the fun doesn’t stop there! Live music on the Festival Stage
continues into the evening, with countless street performers and Kilkenny Tradfest gigs to
keep your toes tapping well into the night!
