Parade and programme to celebrate the Irish national saint
St Patrick's Day in Munich
The greenest weekend of the year is turning 30: Munich's Irish community will celebrate St. Patrick's Day on March 14 and 15, 2026, with a parade between Münchner Freiheit and Odeonsplatz and a two-day open-air festival.
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Impressions of the 2025 parade
Externer Beitrag
St Patrick's Day: What's on offer at the parade
The parade is the highlight of the St. Patrick's Day celebrations. The procession starts at Münchner Freiheit with around 1,500 participants in 60 groups. The 2.5 km route leads along Leopoldstraße and Ludwigstraße to Odeonsplatz.
Traditionally, flag bearers and sports clubs, traditional costume associations, and folklore associations take part in the parade in honor of Ireland's national saint, St. Patrick: Highlanders, rugby players, medieval fans, and leprechauns march through the streets accompanied by marching bands. Thousands of visitors watch the parade, many dressed up with matching accessories: green hats or glasses in the shape of the typical Irish shamrock.
The figure of St. Patrick (once again Wolfgang Schramm) leads the parade together with this year's Grand Marshal (Alison Moffat-McLynn) and the “Parade Princess” (Lara O'Sullivan). Fresh information about the parade will be available in mid-February.
Open-air festival at Odeonsplatz
On Saturday and Sunday, the pre-parade party will take place at Odeonsplatz on St. Patrick's Day weekend. Irish groups will provide music and dancing, and there will be traditional Irish specialties. Mayor Dieter Reiter will once again perform at the Irish festival in 2026 with the Paul Daly Band.
Bühnenprogramm zum St. Patrick's Day
Samstag, 15. März
Bühne Feldherrnhalle (MC: John Dunne)
- 11:30 - 13:00 Uhr | Dempsey & McClenaghan (Irish Folk)
- 13:15 - 14:45 Uhr | Augusta Ceili Band (traditionelle irische Tanzmusik)
- 15:00 - 16:15 Uhr | Owen Gerrard Band (irischer Singer/Songwriter)
- 16:30 - 17:30 Uhr | The Monks (deutsch-australische Pop-Rock-Coverband aus München)
Sonntag, 16. März
Bühne Feldherrnhalle (MC: John Dunne)
- 13:00 - 14:15 Uhr | Celtic Invasion (sechsköpfige Irish-Folk-Band aus East Cork)
- 14:30 - 15:45 Uhr | The Burning Biscuit Band (Münchner Akustik-Quintett: Folk, Country, Blues, Rock & Pop)
- 16:00 - 17:00 Uhr | Cellarfolks (Irish Speed Folk aus München)
Bühne Odeonsplatz Nord (MC: Frank McLynn)
- 13:00 - 13:40 Uhr | „Cór na nGael“ (Nationalhymne & Reden)
- 13:50 - 14:30 Uhr | Dieter Reiter & Paul Daly Band (Irish & International Folk mit dem OB an der Gitarre)
- 14:35 - 15:10 Uhr | Sequel (Irish-Folk-Rockband aus München)
- 15:15 - 15:45 Uhr | Owen Gerrard Band (irischer Singer/Songwriter)
- 15:50 - 16:15 Uhr | Rince O’Chroi & Sweeney McAvinchey (Performance der Irish Dance Schools)
- 16:15 - 16:30 Uhr | Celtic Colleens (Irish-Dance-Ensemble aus München)
- 16:30 - 17:00 Uhr | Emerald Dancers & Summerstorm Dance Company (Irish-Dance-Performance)
- 17:00 - 17:50 Uhr | Munich Céili Band (traditionelle irische Tanzmusik)
Green parade of the Munich Irish
In Munich, the Irish have been celebrating every year since 1996 on the weekend before the Irish national holiday, St. Patrick's Day, on March 17—now the largest celebration on the European mainland. It started with around 3,000 participants, even though the Irish community in Munich had only expected 200. The rest is history. The event is organized by the Munich Irish Network e. V. (MIN) with numerous volunteers. Munich's mayor, Dieter Reiter, has been the patron for many years.
Dates
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Sat , 14. March 2026
11:00
Odeonsplatz
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Sun , 15. March 2026
12:00
Münchner Freiheit