Parade and programme to celebrate the Irish national saint
St Patrick's Day 2025 in Munich
The greenest weekend of the year: Munich's Irish will celebrate their 27th St. Patrick's Day in Munich on 15/16 March 2025 with a parade between Münchner Freiheit and Odeonsplatz and a two-day open-air festival.
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St Patrick's Day: What's on offer at the parade
The parade on Sunday, 16 March, is the highlight of the St. Patrick's Day celebrations. The parade starts at 12 noon at Münchner Freiheit with participants in various groups (2024: 1,400 people in 65 groups). The 2.5 km route leads along Leopoldstraße and Ludwigstraße to Odeonsplatz.
Traditionally, flag bearers and sports clubs, traditional costume and folklore associations take part in the parade in honour of the Irish national saint St. Patrick: Highlanders, rugby players, medieval fans and leprechauns march through the streets with music bands. Thousands of visitors follow the procession - many of them with matching accessories: green hats or glasses in the shape of the typical Irish shamrock.
A man impersonating St Patrick leads the parade together with a „grand marshal“ and the ‘parade princess’.
Open-air festival on Odeonsplatz
On 15 (11-17:30) and 16 March (12-18), the pre-parade party will take place on Odeonsplatz. There will be typical Irish specialities accompanied by music and dancing from Irish groups. Mayor Dieter Reiter once again performed at the Irish festival in 2024 with the Paul Daly Band (photo above), and is expected to pick up his guitar again in 2025.
Green parade of the Munich Irish
Since 1996, the Irish have always celebrated in Munich on the weekend before the Irish bank holidays St. Patrick's Day on 17 March - now the biggest celebration on the European mainland. The event is organised by the Munich Irish Network e. V. (MIN) with numerous volunteers. Munich's Lord Mayor Dieter Reiter has been the patron for many years. The Department of Labour and Economic Affairs supports the festival with up to 95,000 euros per year.