St. Patrick’s Day in Québec City

A Festive St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Since 2010, Québec City’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade has drawn over 1,000 participants annually, with many thousands more coming to watch and celebrate. Since the parade in other cities are before the one in Québec City, the New York, Boston and Chicago Police as well as Toronto Firemen's Pipes & Drums are joining the party. This year, musicians, dancers, and street entertainers will jig their way through the streets of Old Québec on Saturday, March 25, during a celebratory day that is always fun for the whole family!

The Perfect Place to Party

In Québec City, St. Patrick’s Day isn’t celebrated once, but twice! On Friday, March 17, the night of St. Patrick’s Day, the Saint-Patrick, Nelligan's, Murphy's, Claddagh, and Galway pubs welcome revellers with special food and drink, entertainment, and Irish or traditional music.

Then, for beer lovers, there’s a special St. Patrick’s Festibière from March 23–25, with 20 microbreweries and restaurateurs on site for the occasion.

New this year, many special activities will be happening on Grande Allée. On the program: Irish menus, traditional music and bagpipes exhibition. On March 25, the day of the parade, the street will be bustling with animated terraces, green decorations, green beer as well as makeup and balloons for kids.

The Irish in Québec City

When the Great Famine hit Ireland in the 1840s, it forced thousands of Irish families to immigrate to Canada. After a difficult crossing, Irish immigrants were sent through the Grosse Île Quarantine Station, where over 5,000 of them died of typhus or cholera. The survivors then came ashore in Québec City. Some settled down in the region, while others moved on to other parts of Québec and, eventually, North America. In Québec City, St. Patrick’s Day is welcomed as a chance to honour that Irish history.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!