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 upcoming events include:
- Friday, March 6: Peaky Blinders-themed party
- Wednesday, March 11: An Evening with Andy Townsend & Ray Houghton (Former professional Irish footballers)
- Friday, March 13 & Saturday, March 14: Robert Arkins’ The Commitments performing live
- Sunday, March 15: ‘Parade Day’ party with live Irish bands & DJs all day
- Sunday, March 15: The Tumbling Paddies live at Luna Springs
- Tuesday, March 17: St Patrick’s Day Trad Sessions plus live music from Fin Furey & Bang On The Ear
- Thursday, March 19: Catchphrase with Roy Walker
The full roster of events is set to release later this month, which you will be able to find here.