Waterford City and County Council, in association with Fáilte Ireland and EveryEvent, is delighted to announce a jam-packed four-day programme of St. Patrick’s Festival events from Friday, March 14th to Monday, March 17th.
The theme for this year’s festival is Saints & Scholars – A Celebration of Waterford’s rich heritage and will be marked by parades, performances, carnivals and music right through the Bank Holiday weekend. And best of all…most events are FREE!
While the festival is a celebration of Waterford’s people and communities, its culture and heritage, its diversity, and its musical and artistic talent, there will be tribute paid to St. Patrick and to Waterford’s very own Scholar, Luke Wadding, a 16th Century academic, author, historian and Franciscan.
Young people: Kick-start your St. Patrick’s Festival weekend with free family fun activities at John Roberts Square. Over the four-day festival, Waterford’s city centre will be abuzz with the return of the much-loved City Centre Fairground, perfect fun for the littlest family members. Wobbly Circus has been enthralling and delighting for years, so don’t miss them throughout the weekend, along with Playful Streets for buckets of family fun activities.
Craft and entertainment: With so much to choose from, don’t tie yourself up in knots, although the Celtic Knotwork Workshop in Waterford Cultural Quarter might be the perfect solution in case you do! There’ll be no shortage of Shamrock Shenanigans at City Square Shopping Centre, while Little Irish Folklore Friends will introduce Liam the Leprechaun and his pals.
Music: Local talent will feature big and bold as the Suir Ukulele Strummers, Waterford Centre of Music Choir, The Knockadollys, City of Waterford Brass, Waterford Youth Arts and High Definition perform free gigs in the heart of the city, from the Waterford Cultural Quarter (WCQ) to John Roberts Square to the Apple Market Stage.
Late night entertainment: The music continues into the evening with performances from Oisin O’Connor, Bonya, The Knotted Chords, Spancil Jills, BOOLABOOM, Sympos and Guests – follow the music trail from the Apple Market to the Waterford Cultural Quarter. There’s also great live entertainment throughout the weekend at Dooley’s Hotel and Itty Bittys. And if you fancy a nip, you can always enjoy a tipple of O’Driscoll’s Irish Whiskey in The House of Waterford.
Firedance in John Roberts Square is a locally-produced, spectacular, outdoor fire-lit procession weaving its way through John Roberts Square setting the stage for an extraordinary performance and showcase of fiery theatrics.
Culture & Tours: The Urban Greenway Self-guided tour quite literally puts the (green) spotlight on the city’s historical monuments and iconic buildings. You can take the route the Vikings once took and see the city from the majestic River Suir aboard the Osprey Viking Cruise or join James Doherty for a Walking Tour of Waterford.
Sacred Heart Family Resource Centre has created an exhibition celebrating community creativity and highlighting people and place through art, while you can enjoy Ceiliúradh Cultúir – A Celebration of Culture featuring Irish sean-nós singing and dancing workshops at St. Patrick’s Gateway.
Also at St. Patrick’s Gateway, the inaugural Luke Wadding Convention featuring talks from Dr. Coleman Dennehy and Dr. John McCafferty will explore Wadding’s role and his influence which to this day is of world renown. The event will also feature a live performance of music from the 17th Century with famed international cellist Roger David.
Theatre: The Theatre Royal has a St. Patrick’s Weekend programme that will appeal to lovers of rib-tickling comedy as funnyman Neil Delamare brings his razor-sharp observations on life and trad.
St. Patrick’s Day Parade: The theme for this year’s parade is ‘Saints & Scholars’ and will begin at 1pm sharp on St. Patrick’s Day, Monday March 17th. Three-time Olympian and European Gold medallist Grand Marshall of Waterford’s St. Partick’s Day parade, Thomas Barr, along with members of Ferrybank AFC are expected to lead out over 2,000 participants in the parade.
The parade begins at Waterford Bus Station and will proceed along the Quay, past the Clock Tower and the Plaza, moving around to the Mall, with entries gathering at the Bridge Street end of the Quay at the start of the parade.
Optimum viewing positions are from the Quays, where there is plenty of room as well as at the Mall. The parade will end at the Mall / Parnell Street junction and we ask that patrons do not congregate in Parnell Street as this area is designated for post-parade and production staff.
Waterford City and County Council is delighted to announce an Autism Family Friendly Area at the St. Patrick’s Day parade. Working with Autism Friendly Waterford and 50 Shades of Exceptional we are proud to introduce this initiative as the First Autism Friendly City in Ireland.
A special area has also been reserved and sign-posted for wheelchair users / special access at Mall Lane. This is on a first come, first served basis and intending patrons should make themselves known to stewards.
Last minute entries to the parade are still open to community groups from Waterford city, county and beyond – intending participants should complete the application form on the St. Patrick’s Festival website.
There will also be an online streaming of the Parade, so those who cannot attend but still wish to enjoy the celebrations.
To find out more details of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and four-day festival in Waterford visit www.stpatricksfestivalwaterford.com and keep an eye out on Waterford St. Patrick’s Day Festival social media channels.
-ends-
Waterford Purple Flag and Waterford City and County Council are pleased to announce the launch of the Night-Time Economy (NTE) Pilot Grant for 2025. The new initiative is designed to support creative, cultural, and community activity during off-peak evening hours in Waterford City.
Waterford Harvest Festival – Friday 6th September to Sunday 8th September 2024
