Most UK cities have large Irish populations and, like Irish communities around the world, they will be celebrating the Saint Patrick's day in Irish and Irish themed pubs and community centers across the country.
St. Patrick's Day in London
London turns St. Patrick's Day into at least a week of festivities, free shows and all kinds of Irish culture - dance moves to rival Riverdance to the latest crop of Irish stand-up comedians. It all culminates in a parade - on the Saturday closest to St. Patrick's Day, and a festival, on Sunday, in large public spaces in central London - Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden and Leicester Square.
Leading up to March 17, Central Day, there will be Irish and UK Music Bands, Community Groups, Puppy Sports, Schools and Street Theater Head from Hyde Park Corner, at noon on Saturday weekend, Saint Patrick's day.
The Festival will be organized on the weekend Sunday, St. Patrick's Day, includes a food market in Covent Garden, a Ceilidh with lots of songs and dances in Leicester Square and a long day, outdoor performance venue and an Irish cafe in Trafalgar Square.
The London Week of Saint Patrick, as it is usually more than 11 days, during which all kinds perform, some free, some with tickets, with artists from Ireland, groups and dance groups, take place in different places throughout the town.
In Manchester
Manchester claims to be the greatest city that pays tribute to the Saint Patrick's day in the United Kingdom. For this there will be a parade with over 70 floats, marching bands and groups that winds through the streets of the Irish World Heritage Center on Queens Road, along Cheethan Hill Road, Corporation Street, the street of the Cross and Albert Square before retracing the route back to the start.
The parade begins at 11:45 a.m. on a Sunday before St. Patrick's Day, plus music, dance, art, food, drink, comedy, and fun for the family!
In Birmingham
Birmingham will continue to regularly attract some 100.000 people for what the city claims is the "third largest St. Patrick's Day Parade in the world," on the Saturday or Sunday of St. Patrick's Day weekend. The parade, which includes at least 60 floats and more than 1.000 marchers, is the culmination of Ireland's week-long festival of music, dance, comedy, food and family events throughout Birmingham city center and Millennium Point. .
At the end of the parade, about 20 minutes after the last fleet and walkers have completed the route, all the bagpipe bands come together to form a mass bagpipe band, then huge marches take place on Alcester Street to the Club of Ireland and then back to Alcester Street.