St Patrick’s Day Manchester 2022: free Irish Weekender music & food festival at Piccadilly Gardens

St Patrick’s Day celebrations are returning to Manchester city centre in fine fashion this week with the launch of 'The Manchester Irish Weekender'.

The free music and street food event runs from St Patrick's Day (Thursday 17 March), through to Sunday 20 March on the boardwalk in Piccadilly Gardens.

Visitors can expect a jam-packed programme of live music and dance, alongside food and drink stalls with traditional Irish tipples including Guinness, Irish coffees and hot whiskeys.

Irish dancers, pipe bands and Irish folk musicians will be taking to the stage in the middle of the gardens throughout the long weekend - with free entertainment to enjoy every day from noon to 7 pm.

The event, funded via the European Regional Development Fund, is in addition to the St Patrick’s Day parade which was organised by the Irish World Heritage Centre in Cheetham Hill last Sunday, and it runs alongside the Manchester Irish Festival, which has events throughout the month up to 20 March.

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Coun Pat Karney, city centre lead for Manchester City Council, said: "We all know that if you can't be in the Emerald Isle itself then Manchester is the next best place to celebrate St Patrick's Day.

“We also know that one day alone isn't nearly long enough to celebrate all that's great about Ireland and its unique cultural heritage of music and dance - which is why we've put together the weekender event to share the love over four days and give everyone a chance to enjoy the craic.

"It's brilliant to see so many people already coming back into the city centre to enjoy what it has to offer, and the Manchester Irish Weekender gives another good reason to come into town. It's going to be fantastic, so find a shamrock, wear something green, and come on down!"

Highlights of the Manchester Irish Festival include the award-winning Fianna Phadraig Pipe band who are coming up to their 75th anniversary and will be taking the festival on tour with visits to different locations across the city throughout this weekend, before touring Levenshulme, Burnage, and Fallowfield on St Patrick's Day itself.

For more information about what's on during The Manchester Irish Weekender see here and for more information on Manchester Irish Festival visit here.