This year’s St. Patrick’s Festival is said to be the best yet for families

There's always such a buzz around St. Patrick's Day.

With the kids all excited, and the Bank Holiday making everyone more upbeat, the St. Patrick's Day festival is one that the whole family can enjoy. This year, the festival returns to the capital with a spectacular five-day family programme, celebrating the very best of Irish traditional and contemporary Storytelling, which is the theme to this year’s Festival.

So, what's going on around the city?

Merrion Square will be transformed into a lively Festival Village, which will run from March 16 to 18, offering three days of fantastic events, fun adventures and glorious food. The jam-packed programme will feature a Gaeltacht, a Céilí Mór, circus and science shows, children’s readings, discos, live music, village hall talks, street theatre, world food stalls and much more. The world famous Festival Parade on Sunday March 17 will start at noon on Parnell Square and will be bigger and better than ever. The City at Play: Funfair, situated at Custom House Quay begins on Saturday March 16 and runs until Monday March 18, from 11am to 9pm. The funfair is suitable for all the family to enjoy. EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, in CHQ on Custom House Quay, have loads of events taking place throughout the weekend which are inspired by the theme of Storytelling. Family events include a crafting and interactive story workshop, as well as a slimy science lab called the Slime Labs Workshop with Catherine McGuinness! There will be even more events on during the weekend so make sure to check out the full list here.