St Patrick's Day Festival Returns to Old Market Square
A free afternoon of Irish music, dancing and celebration takes over Old Market Square today.
7 degrees and windy this morning, with 28 mph winds all day, but some sunshine and warming to 15 degrees by lunch time.
Today, Nottingham is going all-in on St Patrick's Day, with all of Old Market Square devoted to it, from 11am until 5pm. The free event will feature Irish-inspired acts, with Terry Faulkner opening the day and Muriel and Fran capping things off.
Throughout the day there will be music, dancing, food, and children's rides.
Since 2000 the event has been organised by the Nottingham St Patrick's Festival Committee, a volunteer-led effort drawn from the city’s Irish community. Nottingham has a longstanding Irish community; in the last census almost 1% of people living here described themselves as Irish.
Funding for the event comes from a number of sponsors, including Nottingham City Council, which promotes it as a tourism draw. The Government of Ireland also contributes through its Emigrant Support Programme.
Once the stage wraps up, the celebrations traditionally spill into the city's Irish pubs. The newly opened Shamrock Social, just opposite Central Library, will surely be a popular spot. The Social is a large venue with a full range of Irish beer and whiskey.
Stage schedule on Old Market Square.
- 11am Terry Faulkner
- 11.20am Louie Walsh Band
- 12pm James Cullumbine
- 1pm Welcome, speeches and official opening
- 1.20pm Nottingham Irish Set Dancers
- 1.40pm Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Nottingham
- 2.05pm Caroline McManus School of Irish Dance
- 2.25pm Louie Walsh Band
- 2.50pm Stanley School of Irish Dance
- 3.10pm Glendarragh School of Irish Dance
- 3.25pm Muriel and Fran - Irish and Country music
- 5pm Close
