Birmingham St Patrick's Festival 2009
WHAT: Dancers from a local Irish dancing school will be getting in some practice ahead of the St Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday 15th.
WHERE: Custard Factory, Gibb Street
WHEN: Tuesday 10 March 2009
TIME: 3 – 3.30pm
Dancers from a local Irish dancing school will be donning traditional Irish costume, and will delight passers by with some examples of Irish step dancing in the lead up to this year’s St Patrick’s Festival.
They will be accompanied by “St Patrick” himself (aka Len Cale), as the city gears up to go green on 13 – 17 March in celebration of the world’s most popular patron saint. The iconic Selfridges store will again be turning green in his honour, and venues across Digbeth will be hosting a variety of events and Irish entertainment.
The free Sunday parade is undoubtedly the highlight of the five day St Patrick’s Festival, regularly attracting over 50,000 people to experience the craic in the city’s vibrant Irish quarter around Digbeth. Setting off from Camp Hill at 12 noon towards Digbeth, the parade will involve all the usual beautifully decorated floats, colourful marching bands, dancing groups and horse-drawn wagons, as well as the largest ever gathering of vintage tractors, led by Willie ‘Fergus’ Finnegan.
Cllr Ray Hassall, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Sport & Culture said, “Birmingham has become renowned for its huge St Patrick’s Day parade, and it is wonderful to see our diverse communities unite in celebration at this fun, family-friendly event.”
Following the parade there will be a multitude of entertainment and activities on offer, including the fantastic new St Pat Rocks concert in Bradford Street, as well as the family friendly Emerald Village in the Custard Factory.
The festival and parade are organised by the Birmingham St Patrick’s Festival Committee, with support from Birmingham City Council and other sponsors.
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