The Old Crown has revealed that there will be no St Patrick’s Parade in 2026, as Digbeth’s oldest pub announces two weeks of Irish-led events in place of the annual Birmingham-Irish cultural celebration. This is another blow to the Irish Quarter, following last year’s last-minute cancellation.
In fact, Birmingham’s iconic St Patrick’s Parade has struggled to find its feet for years now. A first of its kind in Britain, when it started in 1952, it was also the third-largest St. Patrick’s Parade in the world for a long time. It faced a forced hiatus from 2020 to 2023 due to the pandemic and local roadworks before returning in 2024.
The parade was then unfortunately cancelled in 2025 as organisers decided they couldn’t deliver a safe and successful parade this year and were “not prepared to compromise” on the safety of attendees. There has been no official word from Birmingham Irish Association yet, but we will update when we hear more.
What’s happening at The Old Crown instead?
The Old Crown’s Irish-themed events start with a Peaky Blinders party on Friday, March 6, and end with a themed Catchphrase quiz hosted by Roy Walker on Thursday, March 19. In total, there are 13 Irish and Birmingham-led events in March centred around Irish celebrities, traditions, food and entertainment.
“Along with the rest of the Birmingham Irish community, we were deeply saddened to learn that the St. Patrick’s Day parade will not return to Digbeth this year. However, Digbeth remains the historic heart of our heritage, and we are fully committed to ensuring the occasion is marked with the grand celebration it deserves,” said General Manager of The Old Crown, Matt Deakin.
The Old Crown’s full line-up of events:
- Friday 6th March – Peaky Blinders After-Party with DJ Phat Sam & live music from Electric Swing Circus
- Tuesday 10th March – The Menace Quiz with The Chase’s Darragh Ennis
- Wednesday 11th March – An Evening with Andy Townsend & Ray Houghton hosted by Tom Ross
- Thursday 12th March – An Evening with Barry Fry, Paul Tait & Paul Devlin hosted by Tom Ross
- Friday 13th March & Saturday 14th March – Robert Arkins’ The Commitments Live (SOLD OUT)
- Saturday 14th March – Super Saturday: Six Nations Closing Games with DJs & live music from Bang On The Ear & Fin Furey
- Sunday 15th March – Parade Day party with The Clause (DJ Set) plus live music from Fin Furey, Ash Sheehan & Jonny Allen
- Sunday 15th March – Luna Springs Takeover with live music from The Tumbling Paddies & more (Family friendly event)
- Tuesday 17th March – St Patrick’s Day celebrations with Ceol Creatives Trad Sessions plus Fin Furey live
- Thursday 19th March – Catchphrase live with original host Roy Walker
To learn more about St Patrick’s Day at The Old Crown, head here.
