Sligo St Patrick’s Day Festival 2023: A Celebration of Ceol agus Craic!

Sligo St Patrick’s Day Festival 2023: A Celebration of Ceol agus Craic!

Sligo is preparing for three days of St Patricks Weekend festivities and it will be a hive of musical talent! Whether it’s one of the 20 trad sessions in over 15 venues around town, or the huge 115 piece marching band from Canada touring the town on Saturday 18th, there will be something for all tastes. Sligo’s rich music scene, which regularly hosts over 100 live gigs per week, will be the key celebration in the parade itself. This year’s parade theme is “Ceol agus Craic” , and promises to be a celebration of Sligo’s rich musical heritage as well as focusing on parade participants to have some fun with their parade entry.

Sligo St Patrick’s Day Parade

The Sligo St Patrick’s Day Parade is set to take place on March 17th, starting at midday on Mail Coach Road and winding its way through the city down Temple St, Wine St, Quay St, O’Connell St, Grattan St and finishing on Pearse Road. This beloved event is the largest attended event in Sligo each year and is sure to be a day of music, dance, and fun for everyone.

As always, the parade can be viewed online live at www.sligostpatricksday.com or afterwards at any time.

To add to the entertainment, there will be a series of Trad hubs along the route with live traditional music performances giving a real ‘dancing at the crossroads’ vibe. Face painters will also be on hand to help everyone get into the festive spirit by painting their faces green. Once the parade ends there will be a kids disco on O’Connell St at 2pm and live music afterwards from 3-4pm. As mentioned, there will also be over 20 trad sessions in town on Thurs 16th (6-9pm) and St Patricks Day (3-9pm) as part of the Trad Trail in a number of bars in town.

“We’re excited to once again welcome everyone to the Sligo St Patrick’s Day Parade,” said Parade Committee Chairperson, Finbarr Filan. “This year’s theme of Ceol agus Craic is all about celebrating the rich cultural heritage of Sligo and having a good time with family and friends. We really encourage entries to have some fun and be creative.”

The Sligo St Patrick’s Day Parade is not just about music and dance, it is also about community spirit. The parade features a variety of community groups and businesses from Sligo taking part and showcasing their talents and creativity with a number of prizes up for grabs.

Fun times at Sligo St Patrick’s Parade

There will also be a special event on Saturday March 18th as the ‘Burlington Teen Tour Marching Band’ will parade through the town in the afternoon and finish at City Hall. The 115 strong band hail from Canada and are a sight and sound to behold and not to be missed.

The St Patrick’s Festival Committee would like to thank Failte Ireland, Sligo BID and Sligo County Council for their continuing support. Their support has ensured that the parade continues to be a highlight of the year for the Sligo community and visitors alike.

Mark your calendars and come join the fun on March 16/17/18th for the Sligo St Patrick’s Weekend  Festival! 

Parade entries are still accepted (and it’s FREE) at www.sligostpatricksday.com where you can also get all parade updates.