If you like parades in theory but dread them in practice, this one might change your mind. It’s not a stiff, polished procession; it’s a sweaty, joyful lurch through the city. You don’t need to be Irish—you just need to show up with an open mind and a tolerance for bad bagpipe covers of pop songs. (Warning: you will hear Ed Sheeran’s “Galway Girl” used as background music. Accept this.)
For the 2026 edition, I’m planning to arrive early, bring a flask of tea (for emergencies), and let the crowd carry me. I’ll probably end up getting lost near Covent Garden, but that’s half the adventure. If you see a man in a neon green top hat holding a slice of pizza, say hi—that’s Dave, and he’s already lost his phone. Join us.
See you there—or, more likely, see you at the pub around the corner where the real stories begin. Sláinte, you brilliant mess.
