Full steam ahead for six-day virtual St Patrick’s Festival
THE annual St Patrick’s Day parade will go virtual this year and run for six days and nights.
Trad music on Spidéal beach, storytelling in Sligo, spectacular drone footage of Ireland and big-name celebrity performances will all form part of the schedule, which will be broadcast on a dedicated TV channel and website.
Organisers are hoping that the week-long spectacle, which will be watched by millions of Irish around the world, will help initiate a travel boom here next year when the world might begin to return to normal.
It will air on St Patrick’s Festival TV (SPF TV) on stpatricksfestival.ie from March 12 to 17.
St Patrick’s festival organisers will team up with RTÉ for the main event, the #RTEVirtualParade, on March 17.
“This year it will be all about bringing people a bit of entertainment, hope and joy in lockdown, while encouraging everyone to stay at home,” a spokesperson for the parade said.
“There will be lots of entertainment for adults at night and arts and crafts classes for kids during the day, including ‘how to build your own parade float’.
“There will also be cooking demos of traditional Irish recipes and music and film.
“Over 100 events are being recorded across Ireland as we speak to ensure every county is included and there will be a front-row seat for everyone this year.”
The full programme will launch this Wednesday, with TV schedules announced early next month.
Meanwhile, the Irish diaspora has been invited to become part of a special virtual audience for The Late Late Show on St Patrick’s Day.
On March 17, the show will broadcast on a Wednesday night for the first time in its 59-year history.
Irish people from across the world are invited to apply to be part of the virtual audience on the night.
Viewers from abroad who wish to be in with a chance to participate can log on to www.rte.ie/latelate for details.
Traditionally, more than 500,000 people gather in Dublin every year to watch the festival in person.
For more on the virtual, week-long celebrations see www.stpatricksfestival.ie